


Days Gone Bye

by MeltedIceAngel



Series: ReWrite [1]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Bottom Glenn Rhee, Canon Rewrite, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, Family, Good Sibling Merle Dixon, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Marriage, Mpreg, Parenthood, Pregnancy, Protective Daryl Dixon, Protective Merle Dixon, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-05-18
Updated: 2017-12-09
Packaged: 2018-11-02 08:25:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 41,449
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10940682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MeltedIceAngel/pseuds/MeltedIceAngel
Summary: Glenn had to wonder why life seemed to inherently give him the short stick. Even when something good happens, the world seemed to find it funny to change it up and give him something else to groan over. When he and Daryl had found out they were expecting, they were ecstatic. Then a week later, the dead start walking.





	1. Days Gone Bye

Daryl hated when Glenn insisted on going on runs. 

Daryl wasn’t the overprotective type, he liked to say. He gave Glenn plenty of freedom without being too overbearing, but that was before the dead started walking around and eating anything that moved for the Hell of it. That also was before the man was carrying his child. Daryl despised watching Glenn haul his ass all the way to Atlanta for pointless gadgets and a few bottles of water nearly daily, and no matter how much he wanted to stop him from doing so, he reluctantly never said a word on the subject. Merle had been quite clear his “lady” needed to do something productive within the group, and sitting around watching everyone else work wouldn’t suffice. 

The older man typically spent the hours Glenn was on a run hunting. Much like Glenn, Daryl needed a way to pull his own weight in the group as well, and hunting was something both he and Merle excelled at. While is was awkward, and typically annoying to hunt with Merle again, it did give him a taste of his childhood he only slightly missed. If he had thought hard enough, he could almost believe that the world was all as it should be, and Merle was simply his older brother spending an afternoon with him. Willingly, even. Unfortunately, that illusion is always shattered far too soon by a well placed, “Come on, Darleena. Get yur head outta yur ass!” Or a swift slap to the back of his head. 

“Daryl?” Daryl’s head shot up, eyes locking with the chocolate brown of his husband’s. Glenn smiled at him, taking a seat next to the hunter. Daryl had sat outside the three Dixon’s shared tent as he sharpened his knife, thoughts trailing off in the exact way he knew they shouldn’t. Not anymore. “I’m going to go on a run today, just wanted to know if you needed anything.” Glenn asked. Daryl sighed, wrapping his arms tightly around his husband, eyes scanning the area to make sure Merle wasn’t in the general vicinity. 

“I need ya t’stay.” Daryl whispered. Glenn wrapped his arms tightly around Daryl’s shoulders, a soft sigh escaping his lips in response. 

“You know there’s no one else who knows the city like me.” Glenn responded, and it wasn’t as if Daryl could argue the point. Glenn was the only one quick and efficient enough to get through the city unscathed and with the proper supplies. The one time they’d sent Andrea she’d come back with nothing to show for it but a can of chicken noodle soup and a dented can of coke. 

“I can’t stand the thought of ya gettin’ hurt.” Daryl said, his hand trailing down until it rested against Glenn’s still flat abdomen. It wasn’t long before the Korean man’s hand found its way on top of Daryl’s own. 

“I swear, I’ll be careful.” Glenn pulled his head away enough that he could look into Daryl’s eyes.

“Like Hell you will.” The two shot away from each other as if they had been burned, eyes widening at the sight of Merle standing above them. Daryl would never know how he didn’t hear his brother coming, his ears having been trained practically from birth to pick up on even the smallest sounds. “When were you gonna tell Uncle Merle that he was gon’ be an Uncle, huh?” Daryl shushed his brother, the last thing he wanted was for the entire camp to know that Glenn was pregnant. He didn’t fully trust these people, and Daryl was well aware of Merle’s plan to ditch the poor suckers anyway, so he felt no need to divulge such sensitive information to them. 

“Woulda told ya sooner, if ya stayed sober long enough.” Daryl bit, pulling Genn back toward him again. Merle scoffed and wiped his hand across his mouth, shaking his head in response. 

“I think imma tag along with ya today, lil lady.” Merle said, Glenn’s eyes falling shut at the name Merle had taken to giving him. He never understood Merle’s infatuation with calling him a woman. “Gotta protect my kin.” With a snarling smile, Merle found his way back into the tent, rustling coming from within as he gathered up supplies. Glenn groaned loudly, head falling atop Daryl’s shoulder in exasperation. Daryl wrapped one arm around his husband, placing a soft kiss against his temple. 

“Ya know I’d go if I didn’t have ta hunt.” Daryl said, and Glenn nodded. 

“All he’s going to do is slow me down. This is just fantastic.” Glenn lifted himself up slowly, hand rubbing against his now slightly aching belly. Daryl took swift notice of the action, grasping Glenn’s hand in his own. 

“Ya alright?” Daryl asked, and Glenn took a deep breath in before nodding. He had been battling morning sickness for close to three weeks now, and he hoped that said problem would go away soon enough. “I’ll go get ya somethin’ for that, okay? Think the old man had somethin’ for nausea.” Glenn nodded in thanks, feet taking him slowly toward the barely burning fire in the center of the camp. It was blistering hot outside, but there was something about the flames that soothed Glenn immensely. It wasn’t long after that Daryl rejoined him, handing Glenn one small pill and a half full bottle of water. Glenn smiled gratefully at his husband, taking the pill and sipping at the water. 

“You took your vitamins, yeah?” Daryl asked, and Glenn nodded his head in response. The Korean did need to pick up more prenatal vitamins, and maybe a few things for the baby before things got any worse in Atlanta and he isn’t able to return anymore. He’d looked through countless stores, but it seemed as if all the baby items had been completely looted already. He’d have to check out a few daycares, maybe a school if he got the chance. Even though he was barely three months along, Glenn didn’t know how bad things were going to get, and it made him feel better to be prepared for the worst. 

“Come on then, lil lady. Let’s get this show on the road.” Merle announced as he made his way out of the tent, walking down toward where all of their vehicles sat. Glenn gave out one more annoyed groan, Daryl sighing and kissing his temple again.

“Just gotta ask everyone what they want.” Glenn responded quickly, lifting himself up out of his seat. Daryl followed after him, placing a soft kiss on his lips. 

“Gonna go an’ hunt. You be careful okay?” Glenn nodded and kissed Daryl again before going to ask what the remainder of the group needed on their run.

____

Whatever Glenn did to deserve this, he would never know. Maybe he didn’t go to church enough as a child. Or, ever really. Regardless, he never thought he’d be walking through Atlanta flanked by five other people. All he’d asked was what people wanted, and all the sudden since Merle decided to tag along, everyone else decided they wanted to gather their own supplies too. It wasn’t even as if Glenn wasn’t capable of doing it himself, he’d always gathered everything they’d asked, so he had no idea what the use was of them all coming along.

“Hey, lil lady, you picked up anythin’ for the squirt then?” Merle asked, slapping Glenn on the back. Glenn rolled his eyes, counting to ten in his mind and hoping he didn’t kill his brother in law before the day was done. 

“Not yet. I’ve looked around, but most of the department stores are flooded with walkers, and all the small baby shops are completely emptied.” Glenn said as the two of them made their way into a decent sized shop along the main road of the city. The others had decided to disperse, eyes catching different stores filled with different items they thought they needed. Glenn hadn’t minded, it gave him some time to breathe and left no chance for Merle to piss anyone else off. 

“Shame. Our old man used ta tell us not to expect nothin’ when he would go out.” Glenn looked up at his brother in law confused. Had the burly, racist redneck just opened up to him? Of course, when Daryl and Glenn had found out Glenn was pregnant, Daryl had told him a fair share about his own father and his desires to never even compare to him, but it was different coming from Merle. 

“S’gon be a boy.” Merle said suddenly, walking around the small clothes store looking for different clothes for who he can only assume were for the ladies of the camp. They had expressed their desire for new outfits, but again, Glenn found himself shocked that it was Merle looking for them.

“Oh yeah? Why do you say that?” Glenn asked curious. 

“He’s a Dixon, Dixons are always men.” Glenn smirked in response, shaking his head lightly. 

“I’m gonna go upstairs and survey the alleys and streets around us. There’s a daycare I wanted to check out, wanna see if we can even make it there.” Glenn said as he opened up the lone employee exit that lead to the roof of the building, Merle calling back for him to be careful. Glenn ran up the stairs, gun loaded and ready in case anything decided to make a quick appearance in the hallway. It seemed as if the place had been deserted when it all started, not a trace of people left in the entire building. Once he made it outside, Glenn was startled to hear the distinct sound of a gunshot, a muffled one, but a gunshot nonetheless. 

The Korean ran over to the left side of the roof, eyes catching a horde of walkers all surrounding the lone tank that had been there since Glenn had first started making runs into the city. To the right of the tank was a small piece of the horde, bent over devouring something Glenn couldn’t fully make out. He only hoped it wasn’t one of his group. 

“Well what do ya know.” Glenn whispered as a man poked his head out of the tank, a man he had never seen before, lucky for him. Glenn chuckled lightly as he pulled the walkie talkie he carried out from where it was hooked to his back pocket, waiting for the man to fall back into the tank yet again. Sure enough, he did, closing the hatch as walkers began to overtake the tank. Glenn’s heart was stuck in his throat as he realized just how much jeopardy the poor man’s life was in, and with a sigh, he began changing the channels on his radio until he reached the right one.

“Hey you.” Glenn began, waiting only a second before starting to speak again. “Dumbass.” Still no response. Alright, try again.

“Hey you in the tank.” 

“Cosy in there?”


	2. Guts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glenn had only ever felt this bad once before. That ended with him in a heap on the ground outside of Dale's RV. If he could help it, he'd like to entertain the idea he could get both he and Rick safely back to the Department store.

Glenn began to get nervous as the man inside the tank continued to not respond to his calls. He hadn’t heard anymore gunshots, but even then, that wasn’t the only thing left that could kill a person. Glenn clenched the walkie in his hands tightly, teeth clenched as he questioned whether or not to call out to the man again. He couldn’t just leave him there, that much he was aware of. 

“Hey, you alive in there?” He exclaimed, hoping that the man would finally come around and answer him. Not three seconds after that last attempt did he hear the scrambling sound of someone picking up the microphone.

“Hello, hello?” Glenn sighed in relief, his hand traveling down to his renewed upset stomach. He wished he had asked Daryl for another pill for his nausea before he had left the camp. 

“Oh there you are. You had me wondering.” Glenn responded.

“Where are you? Outside? Can you see me right now?” The man sounded hysterical, and Glenn felt awful for not having stayed more aware of his surroundings. He might have been able to help the man before he and what he now recognized as a horse, fell into the walker’s large trap. The Korean made his way quickly across the different roofs and through many doors as he made his way back to a cleared off alley way where his group had entered in the first place, hoping he could help the man get there in time so he could lead him back.

“Yeah, I can see you.” He began, slightly breathless himself from the slight amount of running. “You’re surrounded by walkers. That’s the bad news.”

“There’s good news?” The man cut him off, and Glenn sighed. 

“No.” He felt bad saying that. How could he have let that slip? Of course that was the bad news, everything these days was bad news. 

“Listen, whoever you are, I don’t mind telling you I’m a little concerned in here.” Glenn couldn’t help the way his stomach dropped as the man’s voice filtered through his ears. What if he couldn’t help him?

“Oh man, you should see from over here. You’d be having a major freakout.” Much like Glenn himself, he decided. His heart was hammering in his chest, his stomach lurching angrily from the added stress now added onto him. He knew that this couldn’t be good for his baby, and Daryl would have his head if he ever found out what Glenn had done. So much for being careful, he thought. 

“Got any advice for me?” The man sounded desperate, sad even, and Glenn was filled with a renewed fire. 

“Yeah. I’d say make a run for it.” He knew that to the man’s ears, that probably didn’t sound very promising. Hell, even to his own it sounded laughable. 

“That’s it? Make a run for it?” The man asked, Glenn could hear the skepticism in his voice.

“My way’s not as dumb as it sounds. You got eyes on the outside here. There’s one geek still up on the tank, but the others have climbed down and joined the feeding frenzy where the horse went down. You with me so far?” Glenn asked as he listed through his reasons for Rick to take a chance. 

“So far.” The man responded quickly. 

“Okay, the street on the other side of the tank is less crowded. If you move now while they’re distracted, you’ll stand a chance. You got ammo?” Glenn asked. God, he was stupid. He couldn’t believe that he was helping a random guy out of a herd of walkers. Not only that, but he couldn’t believe he was about to help the damn guy out of it on foot. Not only would Daryl kill him, he was fairly sure Merle would too. 

“In that duffel bag I dropped out there with guns, can I get to it?” Glenn thought for a second about it, but then settled on the fact it was a lost cause. Worthwhile in theory, deadly in practice. 

“Forget the bag. Okay, it’s not an option. What do you have on you?” 

“Hang on.” The man responded, and Glenn sighed again, his hand rubbing his stomach. The last thing he needed was to throw up right now, and he wasn’t very far from it. His head was starting to ache to go along with it. He really should’ve just stayed back with Merle. Glenn groaned as he felt bile rise in his throat, sitting himself down on the less than sturdy grate he’d sat himself upon to watch the man in the tank. He was going to throw up, no if ands or buts. He was going to draw every last walker to him. Too weak to climb back up, they were going to devour him whole all because he wanted to help some random guy he’d never met before. So much for glass half full Glenn, he thought.

“I got a Beretta with one clip. 15 rounds.” Glenn jumped a little at the voice, lifting his head up from where it had fallen between his knees in a feeble attempt to keep his meager breakfast down. 

“Make ‘em count. Jump off the right side of the tank, keep going in that direction. There’s an ally up the street maybe 50 yards. Be there.” Glenn sighed as he lifted himself to his feet, willing the quickly worsening sickness down as he made his way slowly down the ladder into the alleyway. He was so stupid.

“Hey, what’s your name?” The man asked, and Glenn rolled his eyes.

“Have you been listening? You’re running out of time.” Glenn almost welcomed the silence from the man, thankful that he was no longer asking useless questions. The Korean knew he was being a little short tempered, but considering the circumstances? He figured he was in the right. Glenn waited, hidden against the wall of the alley way waiting for the man to come running up to him. That’s when he heard the gunshots, many of them, and Glenn let out an annoyed groan. That dumbass would get them all killed, not just himself and Glenn. Glenn ran up to the gate separating the alley from the main street, his face suddenly staring right into the barrel of said Beretta the man had spoke about before.

“Woah! Not dead!” Glenn screamed, turning to run the opposite direction. Not dead yet anyway. Seeing how the guy handled a gun, Glenn questioned whether that would be true by the end of the day. “Come on, come on!” He shouted, pulling the man back with him. 

“Faster!” And another gun shot. It was a wonder every single walker in the entire city wasn’t at their backs by this point. The two sprinted through the alley, Glenn egging the man on faster and trying to keep him from firing off anymore rounds while he was at it. All too late, they came up upon the ladder that Glenn had climbed down from, the Korean man taking the lead and making his way up the yellow structure. As he made his way quickly up, Glenn looked down to see that the man wasn’t even following him, the ache in his stomach quickly becoming second to his immense irritation.

“What are you doing? Come on!” He shouted. Finally, the man followed after him, the two making their way up to the little platform dividing the first ladder from the second. They stood for just a moment as they caught their breaths, Glenn’s hand traveling back to his stomach as he let out a miserable whine. The man looked over to him in concern, eyes furrowing as he took in Glenn’s appearance. 

“You alright, man?” He asked, a gentle hand placing itself onto Glenn’s shoulder. Glenn shook his head no, a small gag shaking his body as the nausea hit him full force. “You sick?” The man asked.

“Not exactly.” Glenn breathed out, slow and calculated to try and abate the feeling. “Nice moves there Clint Eastwood.” The Korean said, hoping to change the subject away from him. He still wasn’t comfortable with the idea of anyone else knowing about his pregnancy, especially some random guy that he had just met. “You the new sheriff? Come riding in to clean up the town?” Glenn asked as he leaned over the railing, praying to whoever was out there that he didn’t end up passing out. His headache was getting worse by the minute, only aggravated by the endless gunshots, and he’s pretty sure that walker was trying to figure out if it could climb the ladder. 

“Wasn’t my intention.” The man said, eyes still wandering over Glenn’s frame. Glenn could tell the man was worried. Hell, Glenn was worried about himself. The last time he’d felt like this was their third night in camp, and he’d crashed before Daryl could even ask him what was wrong. 

“Yeah whatever yeeha. You’re still a dumbass.” Glenn attempted to adjust the pack on his back, the movement only making him dizzy. He shut his eyes tightly, a small cough escaping his lips as the world began to spin around him. 

“Rick, thanks.” The man, Rick, said, extending his hand out for Glenn to shake. 

“Glenn, you’re welcome.” He responded, his grip on Rick’s hand probably the only thing keeping him upright. Rick seemed to notice this as well, grabbing onto Glenn as a way of steadying him so he didn’t topple right off the platform. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Rick asked. “You know I’m a sheriff, I won’t hurt ya.” He said, and Glenn had to roll his eyes. The cop card didn’t work the way the world was anymore. Shane had said the same thing to his family when they first found each other roaming along the highway, Glenn pale as a sheet and throwing up every couple steps. It had been a welcome sight at the time, but now, it hardly made a difference to him.

“Just not feeling too great.” Glenn responded, stumbling slightly as he felt his entire world jerk. Rick was quick to grasp onto him again, steadying the man before putting his wrist up against Glenn’s forehead.

“Have ya had anything to drink at all?” Rick asked, looking down at the walkers below them. Glenn shook his head, realizing how stupid of a move that had been. How had he not thought to bring water with him on this little journey he decided to take? “You got a group?” Rick asked, and Glenn nodded, regretting the movement as his head relented against him. 

“My brother in law is back in the department store down the street. It’s quite a ways back from here, I don’t know if I’ll make it.” Glenn responded, suddenly terrified that he really wouldn’t make it back to Merle. The man was a dick in all senses of the word, infuriating and treated Glenn without an ounce of respect, but he was the only one left that he had any sort of faith in when it came to him being sick like this. When Glenn had passed out the first time in camp, he was well aware that neither Merle nor Daryl had left his side the entire time, Merle even going as far as to begging for extra water and food for Glenn to help him get back on his feet. The man could be decent at times, just, not most of them. 

“I’ll get ya there, don’t worry.” Rick said, taking in their surroundings. “You think you can make it up the last stretch of the ladder?” Glenn looked up, his eyes losing focus as he took in the height. He truly didn’t know if he could make it, but looking down, he realized he didn’t have much of a choice. 

“Oh no.” Glenn breathed out, his voice sounding dizzy and tired even to his own ears. One of the walkers finally managed to figure out how to grab onto the ladder, making his way slowly up toward them. Rick pushed Glenn forward, the Korean grasping onto the ladder tightly as he pulled himself upward. The further he went, the harder it became to hold on. More than once did his hands slip, Glenn only being steadied by Rick’s quick jump up behind him and placing his hand back onto the rail. Glenn sighed painfully, the rest of the way up the ladder very cramped and uncomfortable as Rick’s hands always stayed where Glenn’s hips reached. Glenn pulled himself over the edge of the roof slowly, using the wall for support as he touched his legs to the ground. 

“Hop up on my back. Just tell me where we’re goin’.” Rick said, and Glenn couldn’t argue. Rick bent over to allow Glenn enough access to make his way easily onto his back, the Korean whining as Rick jostling him into place made him just a bit more sick. The two walked slowly, Rick working to make sure Glenn wasn’t thrown around too much.

“Feels like this isn’t the first time you’ve done this.” Glenn chuckled, his head resting embarrassingly on top of Rick’s left shoulder. Rick smirked, shaking his head.

“Nah, when my wife was pregnant with my son she used to get sick like this a lot.” Glenn sucked in a breath, his body going stiff at the statement. “You okay?” Rick asked suddenly, feeling how the younger man suddenly held onto his breath in a vice like grip.

“I’m going to throw up.” Glenn said, and Rick quickly put the younger down just outside a door that lead to a small concrete walkway to the next building. Glenn heaved once before emptying his stomach all over the small walk way. Rick rubbed his hand comfortingly over Glenn’s back, hoping that someone in his group knew how to help him through the sickness. Rick thought idly in the back of his mind that Glenn wasn’t telling him everything, but it wasn’t his place to pry. The symptoms were similar to Lori’s own when she struggled with her blood pressure when she was pregnant with Carl. That, and the way the younger clenched up when he mentioned Lori’s pregnancy, and the fact he’d said he wasn’t really sick had him wondering. 

“Glenn, what did you mean back there when you said you weren’t really sick?” Rick asked carefully, not wanting to upset the Asian but also knowing that this was a problem that would need to be addressed if he was correct. Lori had to spent quite some time with their doctor to make sure she didn’t develop any complications. 

“Just, trying to change the subject.” Glenn responded, dry heaving once more over where he’d already emptied everything he’d eaten for the past week. 

“I don’t want you to get upset with me, but, I felt the way you clamped up there when I mentioned my wife’s pregnancy.” Glenn’s eyes flicked to the ground at this, and Rick was almost positive the younger was going to argue but decided against it. “If you’ve been having fainting spells, gettin’ dizzy all the time, that’s somethin’ you might need to have looked at.” Rick said, and he took quick notice that Glenn’s hands were shaky where they held the rest of his body upright. 

“You think he might be sick?” Glenn asked, his voice choked as he asked the question. Rick sighed in sympathy as he took a seat next to the younger, rubbing a hand up the man’s arm. 

“Nah, just messin’ around with your blood pressure. It’s normal, but not excessively. You might need a different diet, new type of vitamin. You’ll be okay.” Rick answered, startled as tears began to fall down the younger man’s face. “My wife had the same thing. She used to faint almost daily with our son. Took her to the doctor and all she needed was a bit more sodium and a lot more water. It’ll be okay.” Rick said, and Glenn nodded shakily. 

“Your son was alright, then?” Glenn asked, his hand trailing slowly to his abdomen. Rick smiled lightly at him, nodding his head.

“Best kid around. Smart, funny, real ladies man.” Glenn chuckled at that, breathing in deeply to try and dispel some of the stress that seemed to wrap like a vice grip around his heart. Maybe Rick wasn’t too bad. Still a dumbass, but a decent dumbass. 

“This is gonna sound real stupid, but I wish my husband was here.” Glenn laughed again, wiping the tears from his eyes. 

“Where’s he at?” Rick asked curiously, hoping that he wasn’t prying to much into the younger man’s life. Rick just didn’t want the man to be under too much unnecessary stress, and if talking to him would help, that’s just what he’d do.

“Back at our camp. He went hunting, so he probably won’t be back for a few days.” Glenn sniffled, hands pressing to his eyes in a desperate attempt to stop both the headache and the tears still leaking from his eyes. 

“And your brother in law?” Rick asked. 

“He’s something else. Not someone you’d go to for moral support.” Glenn shrugged, breathing in deep as another wave of nausea rolled over him. “We should get back.” Rick nodded and allowed Glenn to crawl back onto his back, the two making their way slowly to the next roof. When they got to the point they had to cross, Rick set the man down behind him, pulling himself over first before assisting Glenn across. 

“Rick, I-” Glenn only managed to get those words out as he crumpled to the ground, Rick barely catching him before he smacked his head onto the concrete floor. 

“Shit.” Rick said, lifting the smaller man into his arms. Rick walked slowly over to the manhole that lead down into the building they were currently on, fully aware of the fact he wouldn’t be able to make it down the ladder with Glenn unconscious in his arms. Thinking back to Lori, he knew his wife would usually only stay out for a good 30 seconds to a minute, so he should have no problem waiting for Glenn to open his eyes again. 

Rick walked back toward the edge of the roof, sitting himself down in one of the only places with even a small amount of shade. It didn’t take to long before Glenn’s hands began to twitch, his eyes opening slowly. “Welcome back.”

“Thanks.” Glenn groaned, head hurting only a little less than before he collapsed. 

“Think you can make it down that ladder?” Rick asked, not wanting to push the other too hard, but knowing that if they ever wanted to make it back that was the only way. Glenn nodded in response.

“Can you still help me over to it? I don’t think I can walk well enough.” Rick sighed at the question. He knew that if Glenn couldn’t walk, there was no way he was making it down that ladder by himself, but the younger was insistent. So, reluctantly, Rick lifted Glenn back into his arms bridal style and carried him the rest of the way to the manhole. 

“I’m gonna go first, okay? Then, I’ll tell you when to come down. That way if you fall, I have even a small chance of catchin’ you. Hold on tight, okay?” Rick said, and Glenn nodded. Rick pulled the hatch open, pulling himself into the hole and going down only a few steps before signaling for Glenn to follow him down. Rick kept a careful hand on Glenn’s waist as he shakily made his way in front of him, the Asian wrapping his arms tightly around steps of the ladder. 

“You okay?” Rick asked, and Glenn nodded silently in response. In less time than Rick thought, the two of them made it to the bottom of the ladder, Rick pulling Glenn into his arms again before the younger could even touch the floor. “Where to next?” 

“Go straight, to the exit.” Glenn said tiredly, his head lolling back into Rick’s arms. “Walkie, tell them where I am.” Rick shifted Glenn so that he could set the younger man down on the floor, lifting the walkie out of Glenn’s back pocket.

“Hello?” He said, hoping to get a response from the other end. Not long after, he heard someone fumbling with the talk button on their own radio.

“Who is this?” It was a man’s voice, Hispanic in descent. 

“My name is Rick Grimes. I’m with one of your team, Glenn. He saved me from the walkers and he’s not in very good shape.” Rick said back. 

“Wasn’t bit was he?” The man asked.

“No, dizzy, throwing up, headache.” He relayed back, and a sigh came over the walkie.

“Yeah, we know about that. Is he conscious at least?” The man asked. Rick took a quick look back to see Glenn with his eyes closed, head slumped against the wall.  
“No. He was a minute ago, but he’s not anymore.” Rick responded.

“Alright. Where are you?” Rick took one last look at Glenn before jogging over to the exit, spotting a set of spiral stairs in front of him and another building next door. He said the information back to the man and waited for his response, going back to kneel beside Glenn. “We know where you are. Come down that spiral case, we’ll meet you there.” Rick placed the walkie in his own back pocket, lifting Glenn’s limp body off the floor and making his way quickly down the staircase. A small groan left the smaller man as he came to once again, eyes blinking wildly at the change in location.

“Almost there.” Rick said, hoping to calm Glenn even a little. The younger seemed to be working himself into a fit, his breathing coming faster and faster as they continued on. “Almost there.” He repeated once more, stopping quickly as he came face to face with two walkers waiting for them at the end of the steps. Before he even had a chance to turn around, two armor clad people came storming out of the back door of the building across from them, bats in hand as they took out the two walkers with an ease he wasn’t aware anyone could have. 

“Go, go!” A voice he didn’t recognize called to him, but he wasted no time heading their advice. He ran into the store at full speed, followed closely by the two men. Once all four of them were inside safely, one of the people shut the door behind them, sighing in relief. 

“Son of a bitch you better put him down so I can kill you.” Rick was greeted with, a blonde woman pointed a gun straight at his face. His first instinct was to put his arms up in surrender, but with Glenn laying in his arms, that was an impossible feat. 

“Just chill out, Andrea, back off.” The man Rick assumed he was speaking with on the walkie said as he removed his layers of armor. 

“Come on, ease up.” The only other woman in the room adding. He was grateful for the assistance, he really was, but shouldn’t they be focusing more on the pregnant man laying limp in his arms? Rick was pretty sure that was more important than anything they could be pissed at him for at the moment. 

“Ease up, you’re kidding me right?” Andrea exclaimed. “We’re dead because of this stupid asshole.” She said, and Rick could only think how much he really wanted her to put that gun down. 

“Andrea!” The man he spoke to first exclaimed, coming to stand next to the blonde woman still holding a loaded gun precariously in his face. “I said back the Hell off.” Rick could tell that the man wasn’t playing games, his eyes trailing down momentarily to Glenn’s limp figure in his arms. Finally the blonde woman pulled the gun back, her face scrunching up in fear as tears began to leak from her eyes. 

“We’re dead. All of us. Because of you.” Andrea said with an air of finality he couldn’t believe someone like her possessed. Quick, angry, and clearly a fighter. 

“I’m not because of him.” Rick looked down to see Glenn’s eyes peeking open again, his hand reaching up to rub his eyes. He saw Andrea shake her head out of the corner of his eyes, walking away as Glenn fully came to. “I think I’m okay now.” Glenn said, Rick nodding and setting him gently on the ground. Glenn wobbled slightly, his hands held out in a desperate attempt to find purchase. Rick and the other woman who hadn’t held a gun to his face were quick to catch him, the woman whispering quietly that he was going to be alright. 

“I don’t understand. Why are we all dead?” Rick said, his grip on Glenn still as tight as the woman’s next to him. Rick vaguely wondered if one of the two men were Glenn’s brother in law, and if so, why they seemed to stay so distant from him. 

“Look,” The man he first spoke to said, grabbing Rick by the arm and pulling him away from Glenn. The Asian violently stumbled, only staying up with the help of the woman and now the other man that had come out to assist him in getting Glenn back to the store. “We came to this city to gather supplies.” The man began, the rest of the group following behind as Rick was led to the front of the store. 

“You know what the key to scavenging is?” The man asked, smacking Rick on the back. Rick rolled his eyes in annoyance. “Surviving. You know the key to surviving? Sneaking in and out. Tip toeing not shooting up the streets like it’s O.K. Corral.” The group finally stopped in front of the front door, eyes growing wide as he took in what was in front of him.

“Every geek for miles heard you popping off rounds.” The other man said. 

“You just rang the dinner bell.” Andrea added, Rick’s heart beating rapidly in his chest. He suddenly felt sick himself, eyes trailing back to find Glenn’s face contorted in fear, his hand resting against his abdomen. No, they can’t die here. He won’t let that happen. 

“Get the picture now?” Rick was shocked as he took notice of one of the walkers in the front holding onto quite a large rock, smashing it rhythmically into the front door until it began to crack more and more under the pressure. These things were smart. First they attempt to climb the ladder, now they’re breaking doors with rocks. 

“Oh, God.” He heard Andrea behind him, and suddenly everyone was backing up farther into the store. Rick felt awful, despite the fact this had all been unknowingly caused by him. He hadn’t been thinking when he had been shooting off all those rounds, and now Glenn’s dubbing of dumbass seemed to make far more sense. “What the Hell were you doing out there anyway?” Andrea asked, her face still scrunched up in fear. 

“Tryna flag the helicopter.” Rick responded, and now even to his own ears that sounded a bit ridiculous. 

“Helicopter? Man, that’s crap. Ain’t no damn helicopter.” The black man standing behind him added, his head shaking in exasperation. 

“You were chasing a hallucination, imagining things. It happens.” The other woman added, and Rick shook his head.

“I saw it.” 

“I saw it, too.” Rick turned his head to see Glenn looking at the others, nodding his head to Rick. Rick nodded his head back in thanks turning toward the others. They all merely shrugged their shoulders, not wanting to give into a false hope given to them by someone they’d never met and one that was barely standing on his own two feet. 

“Hey, T-Dog,” the man in front of him said. “Try that C.B. Can you contact the others?” 

“Others? The refugee center?” Rick asked, heart raising a bit at the thought he might be able to get in contact with the place. 

“Yeah the refugee center. They got biscuits in the oven waiting for us.” The other woman said, and Rick’s heart plunged back to his feet. Now he not only had to start over looking for his family, but he led Morgan and Duane right into this trap. He’d have to find a way to contact them later, get that bag of guns back if he could find a way to. 

“Got no signal.” T-Dog responded, sighing in frustration. “Maybe the roof.” He added suddenly, eyes lighting up at the possibility. All the sudden the entire group looked up as a gunshot sounded from the roof. 

“Oh no, was that Dixon?” Andrea said hysterical, head flipping back and forward as she began to back away from the counter she had been leaning against. Rick took quick notice that Glenn suddenly paled, his hands shaking again as the name hit his ears. 

“What is that maniac doing?” The other woman said as they all began to run upstairs, Glenn pushing himself out of her and T-Dog’s grip to stay back with Rick. Rick stared at the younger questioningly as Glenn wrapped his arms around Rick’s right arm, pulling them forward to inch them along.

“That would be my brother in law.” Glenn said, and suddenly Rick understood Glenn pulling back to stay with him, and his original wish for his husband to be here over his brother in law. Sounded like the guy didn’t have a very high reputation based on the reactions to his shooting. As the two made their way up the steps, Rick could tell that Glenn was beginning to feel sick again. If they didn’t get him out of this heat and some proper food and water, this could end up seriously bad for both him and his baby. Whenever they were done dealing with Glenn’s brother in law, he’d make sure to ask one of them if they had anything they could give to Glenn before some serious damage happens. Just as the two made it to the door that everyone started filing through, Glenn took his arms off of Rick’s own, stumbling through the door on his own. Rick let him go.

“Hey, Dixon, are you crazy!?” One of the men yelled, the man he could only identify as Dixon began to laugh, shooting off another round. Andrea let out a grumbled complaint, Dixon turning around to face them.

“Oh, hey.” He said, pointing the gun out toward the group. “You outta be more polite to a man with a gun. Huh?” He said, hopping down from the ledge to join the rest of them. Rick looked to Glenn, seeing the man hesitate instead of walking up to his brother in law like he’d assumed he would. That was strange. “Only common sense.” He finished.

“Man, you wastin’ bullets we ain’t even got, man! And you bringin’ even more of ‘em down on our ass! Man, just chill!” T-Dog shouted, and Rick took notice that Glenn began to back away the closer his brother in law got to the other man. 

“Hey, bad enough I got this taco bender on my ass all day. Now I’m gonna take orders from you? I don’t think so, bro.” Dixon said, still cradling the gun in his hands. Glenn stepped forward then, stopping only when he was a few feet away from his brother in law, but the Asian still didn’t speak up. “That’ll be the day.”

“That’ll be the day? You got somethin’ you wanna tell me?” T-Dog asked, and finally Glenn fully walked up to his brother in law, hand placed tentatively on the older man’s back. Dixon swirled around on him, eyes barring more anger than Rick had ever seen on a human, only to have to nearly washed away at the sight of Glenn before him.

“Hey there, lil lady. Ya pick up anythin’ for the squirt then?” Dixon asked, making a move to put his hand on Glenn’s stomach. The younger backed away, eyes searching the older’s before Glenn let out a heavy sigh.

“Where did you get it?” Rick took the chance to look around, taking notice of the shocked faces staring back at Glenn. Had the man just told everyone Glenn was pregnant for the first time? 

“Aw, it’s just a lil fun.” Dixon said, lifting his hands up, confused as to why Glenn was questioning him.

“Merle, where did you get it? I thought Daryl took all that stuff the day you almost banged a walker because you were stoned off your ass.” Merle laughed at this, hand slapping Glenn almost goodhearted on his shoulder. Rick decided to ignore most of the sentence, but did file Daryl’s name away in his ever growing list. That must be Glenn’s husband, Rick concluded. 

“Had a lil bit left, figured while you were out havin’ a good ole time I could have one a my own.” Merle shrugged, as if that fixed every problem that had been created by the man getting high off Rick could only guess what. “Now, let Uncle Merle feel his nephew.” Rick cringed as Glenn backed away again, his hand covering his abdomen protectively. Merle only laughed at this, as if Glenn was playing some sort of game with him that he greatly enjoyed. 

“Merle, back the Hell off.” T-Dog stepped in again, and Rick gave a momentary groan. “You’re clearly making him uncomfortable.” Glenn shook his head to stop T-Dog from causing anymore of a commotion, but it was clear the damage had already been done. Merle turned away from Glenn, face angry and fists clenched as he turned to face T-Dog again. 

“What did I say about the day I’d take orders from the likes a you?” Merle said, coming face to face with the other man. Glenn began to back away again, swaying on his feet. Both he and Andrea made their way over to him, arms wrapped underneath his armpits in a feeble attempt to hold him upright. 

“What you mean by the likes a me then?” T-Dog pushed, and Merle chuckled.

“The day I take orders from a Nigger.” Glenn hid his face behind his hands as T-Dog went to swiftly punch Merle in the face, only to be hit right back by the butt of Merle’s gun. Rick left Glenn to Andrea, hopping over two pipes blocking his way and placing a hand on Merle’s shoulder. The man simply pulled T-Dog back to him punching him once before turning and punching Rick so hard he fell back against the pipes he had crossed over. By this point Glenn was screaming, begging Merle to stop.

“Can’t have people like this around ya, lil lady. You best stay back!” He shouted, punching T-Dog once again in the face. Glenn held tightly to his stomach, nausea rolling back through him in waves as the screaming and sounds of punches sounded more and more like they were coming from under water. Andrea helped him to the ground, laying him gently on his left side. She shushed him, rubbing her hand soothingly over his sweaty hair, Jacqui joining her soon after and situating Glenn into a better position. 

Merle gave one swift kick to T-Dog’s abdomen, throwing him down face first against one of the pipes and knocking the man to the ground. Everyone continued to scream as Merle began to kick T-Dog in the side, Glenn’s hands shaking and eyes falling shut as the heat bore down on him, his throat dry and stomach empty. 

“Merle!” Andrea shouted, hand still raking through Glenn’s slowly matting hair. Merle looked back at her, anger filled eyes trailing down to where his brother in law lay shaking on the ground. Merle looked back at T-Dog, spitting on the man before making his way quickly over to Glenn. The others were quick to tell him to leave the younger alone, but one look from the angry redneck had them quieting down. 

“Glenn,” Merle said, his voice softer than anyone had ever heard it in all the time they’d known him. The redneck knelt down beside him, taking the spot where Jacqui had once sat. “Listen to me, brother, ya gotta breathe.” Glenn took in a shaky breath, tears slipping out of his eyes as he dry heaved over the ground. Merle rubbed a hand up and down Glenn’s arm, sighing as he felt the heat radiating off Glenn’s skin. “Ya had anythin’ ta drink?” Glenn shook his head no. Merle sighed, looking around at the others. 

“I have water downstairs, I’ll run down and get it.” T-Dog said, lifting himself painfully off the ground. Merle spat at him again, but T-Dog only rolled his eyes. He was getting the water for Glenn, not for Merle anyway. 

“Glenn, why didn’t you tell us you were pregnant?” Andrea asked, bending down to place a hand atop Glenn’s forehead again. Merle didn’t make a move against her, his eyes focused solely on his brother in law’s red face and shaking form. 

“Didn’t want anyone to think I couldn’t do anything.” Glenn choked out, Merle sighing thinking about the reason his only blood left hadn’t told him he was going to have a baby. Merle knew he fucked up in a lot of ways, but Daryl really was all he had left in the world. Fear used to work to keep the younger with him, but ever since he’d married the chink, he’d been harder to control using that method. It took Merle several years to come to the conclusion that it was a bad idea from the start, but he was coming around to it. 

“We won’t look at you any differently, but we will expect you to take better care of yourself. You need to drink and eat properly from now on.” Jacqui said, coming to stand up next to the rest of them. Rick followed the rest of the group, standing behind Glenn’s head. 

“We need to make sure that blood pressure stays a normal level.” Rick said, and Glenn nodded. Not very long after, T-Dog came back upstairs with 2 full bottles of water. He handed them both to Merle who gave nothing but a nod in response. 

“Need help sittin’ up?” Merle asked, and Glenn nodded. Merle situated his arms under Glenn’s limp frame, pulling him up so he was resting against his well muscled chest. 

“Think ya can help ‘im drink, Officer Friendly?” Merle asked, and Rick nodded, ignoring the nickname in favor of helping Glenn get better. Rick took one of the bottles and held it up to Glenn’s lips, urging him to sip rather than gulp. Not to long after, the entire bottle was empty. “Need more?” Merle asked, shifting Glenn in his arms so he could swipe his free hand soothingly over Glenn’s forehead. The younger nodded, and Rick began to allow Glenn to drink a bit more.

“I’m gonna pour some of this over your head, alright? You’re overheated just as much as dehydrated, this’ll help you cool down.” Rick said, pouring the water gingerly over Glenn’s burning forehead. Glenn sighed gratefully, glad when Merle took to spreading some of the water now soaking his hair onto his face and chest. 

“Want Daryl.” Glenn said quietly. 

“I know, baby. We’ll get back to ‘im soon enough.” Merle said, glaring up at the rest of the camp. What a way to lose his tough guy reputation. However, he did just nearly kick T-Dog’s ass, so that had to give him some asshole points.

“Throw it out.” Glenn spoke again, voice becoming more and more strong as the seconds went by. Merle groaned, pulling only a small amount of his true stash out of his front pocket and handing it to Rick. Rick sighed and tossed it over the side of the building, Glenn smiling lightly from where he was still laying in Merle’s arms. Only part of Merle felt bad for not giving away all of his stuff, but the way the world was going, he’d probably never see another hit again if he lost it all now. 

Eventually the group dispersed again; Jacqui, Morales, Andrea, and Rick going to stand up against the side of the roof, T-Dog sat against it trying to get through to their camp, and Merle sat with his back against the pipes, Glenn still laying sick in his arms. Merle knew that without food, more water, and less heat, Glenn wouldn’t feel better. He was already anticipating Glenn passing out again, his entire body trembling every once in awhile, soft, sick groans escaping his lips. 

“He ain’t gon’ last much longer in this heat.” Merle said, catching the attention of the four now standing looking out at the city. “We gotta get him back to the Quarry, dunk him in the water or he’s gonna die from heatstroke.” Rick sighed, brushing his hair back in exasperation. He didn’t know what to do, but looking at Glenn, it was obvious he wasn’t going to last much longer out there. 

“What about the baby?” Andrea said, crossing her arms to her chest. “This can’t be good for it.” Rick shook his head, heart clenching in his chest. No, this wasn’t good at all for either of them. If they didn’t get out of here and fast, Rick wasn’t sure what would happen. Eventually the four just went back to staring out at the city, Merle grumbling as Glenn let out another whine below him. This was getting them nowhere.

“You’re not Atlanta P.D.” Morales said, coming to stand closer to Rick. He took notice that Rick’s hands were shaking, the stress getting to him far more than Morales could really comprehend. Glenn had saved his life after all, Morales was sure that seeing the kid in such a state was really taking a hit. “Where you from?” He asked.

“Up the road a ways.” Rick responded, pushing his hands into his pockets.

“Huh, well, Officer Friendly, from up the road a ways, welcome to the big city.” Morales said, and Rick stared back at him, a small smile tugging on his face. The two of them stared down at the street where all the walkers were converged, moaning and groaning and going about their own sort of business. 

“God, it’s like Time Square down there.” Andrea said, resting up against the ledge of the roof. 

“How’s that signal?” Morales said, walking back toward the rest of the group. His face twisted as he heard Glenn let out a another sorrowful groan. 

“Wait, wait. Y’all hear that?” Rick said, his hand out to pause everyone in their conversation. “Thunder.” He smiled lightly at the realization, Merle sending one back to him as they both got the meaning behind it. 

“Hear that, brother? There’s rain comin’. We’re gonna getcha all takin’ care of.” Merle said, running his fingers through Glenn’s hair again. Glenn nodded, head lolling back against Merle’s chest despite his inner elated feelings. The Asian would never voice it, couldn’t if he tried, but he was terrified. Hearing them talk about his baby not being okay was making his stomach twice as upset, his head hurt ten times as much, and the nausea roll around worse than he’d ever felt. He wanted Daryl, he wanted the safety and security the man brought him. At that moment, despite Merle’s somewhat comforting presence, Glenn had never felt more unsafe. 

“The connection’s weak, kinda like Dixon’s brain.” T-Dog said, and Glenn groaned as he was suddenly shifted, Merle pointing an angry finger at the man sitting across from him. 

“Best watch it.” Merle said, shifting Glenn back into a more comfortable position. T-Dog merely gave him side eyes, feeling bad for causing Merle to shift Glenn so harshly. He was worried about the kid, and the last thing he needed was for Merle to toss him around because T-Dog couldn’t keep his mouth shut. 

“Keep trying.” Morales said, ignoring the bickering between the two.

“Why? There’s nothing they can do. Not a damn thing.” Andrea said, pushing back away from the others. 

“Got some people outside the city, is all. There’s no refugee center. That’s a pipe dream.” Morales finished.

“I mean she’s right, we’re on our own. Up to us to find a way out.” Rick said, turning to look back at Merle. 

“Good luck with that. These streets ain’t safe in this part a town from what I hear.” Merle said, shaking his head as Glenn shook harshly, bending over to dry heave over Merle’s legs. He shushed the younger quietly, rubbing his back in a futile attempt to calm him down. Glenn dry heaved a few more times, the last one only a small bit of stomach acid making its way out of his mouth. Andrea pulled out a water bottle from her bag, swishing it around slightly. 

“There’s not much left in here, but it’s enough to get that taste out of your mouth.” Andrea said, bringing the bottle over to Glenn. The Asian reached out for it, his hands far too shaky to grab onto it. “It’s okay, I’ll help.” She said, and Glenn nodded. She tilted the man’s head back, allowing the last bit of water to fall into Glenn’s mouth. He swirled it around for a moment before swallowing it, nodding to her in thanks. 

“Streets ain’t safe.” Morales grumbled, looking back out toward the city. He was shocked by Merle’s behavior toward Glenn, but that didn’t change his opinion of the man. After all, Glenn had been family for five or six years before the apocalypse. Not even the worst of people could be a dick to one of their own. “Now there’s an understatement.” 

“What about under the streets?” Rick asked. “The sewers? Not only would that be safer, but I can only assume it’ll be a bit cooler. We could get Glenn through without adding to his heatstroke problem.” 

“Oh man.” Morales said, turning back toward the remainder of their group. “Hey, Andrea, check the alley. You see any manhole covers?” Andrea got up quickly, running along the grate before bending over to look into the alley. Two walkers, but no manhole covers. She sighed audibly before running back over toward the others. 

“No, must be all out on the street where the walkers are.” She said, walking slowly back to where she had been sitting. 

“Maybe not.” Jacqui interrupted before everyone turned back to staring out at the city. “Old buildin’ built in the twentys. Big structures often had drainage tunnels into the sewers in case of flooding down in the sub basements.” Jacqui finished, staring out at the rest of the group.

“How do you know that?” Andrea asked, shrugging her shoulder skeptically.

“It’s my job. Was. I worked in the city’s zoning office.” She finished, looking over toward Rick. Rick turned back to the rest of the group, coming to stand in front of Merle. 

“You keep him safe.” He said. Merle scoffed in response.

“He’s my kin. I always keep my kin safe.” Rick nodded, clapping Merle on the shoulder before dragging the rest of the group along. Merle sighed as the remainder of the group slipped out of the door. “You’ll be okay. I promise.” 

____

Rick led the group down throughout the building, everyone splitting apart to look for what could lead them down to the sewers. It took them far too long, but eventually Rick heard Jacqui and Morales calling from a room down on a lower floor. Rick bounded down the stairs, meeting up with them and Andrea inside the room.

“This has gotta be it. It’s the only thing in the entire place that goes down.” Jacqui said, and Morales nodded in agreement. 

“Alright, now we gotta decide who’s going down, and who’s stayin’ up here.” Rick said, looking to each person. The group stayed silent for a long moment, no one really wanting to speak up out of fear of what they might find down in the sewers. Not only would finding something down there be awful, but it would destroy that bit of hope they had built up with the idea. “Listen, I know this is a tough choice, and I know this is gonna be hard. But we have a sick kid upstairs, carrying a baby that just might not make it through this if it goes on much longer. We gotta do this, and we gotta do it now.” Rick looked at all of them in turn, Morales sighing before stepping up.

“I’ll go.” He said. “But you’re not. You and Andrea are the only ones here with guns. You two stay back. Shout down to us if anything goes wrong.” Andrea and Rick nodded, the two elected to go down slowly making their way down the later. Feet splashed as the two made it down, a small thumbs up sent to the two left above them as they made their way into the sewers. 

Jacqui made her way slowly forward, eyes looking everywhere but the small rats that scampered along the sewer walls. It wreaked of everything from waste to what she had come to attribute to dead body, and she had a hard time not plugging her nose and gagging. Morales followed swiftly behind her, his face schooled into a much more neutral expression, but his distaste for his surroundings was obvious. 

_____

Rick and Andrea walked slowly into the main area of the building, walkers still banging relentlessly on the door. The two of them scanned their surroundings with interest, Andrea’s eyes always flicking away from Rick’s own.

“Sorry about the gun in your face.” She suddenly blurted out, Rick turning to look back at her. 

“People do things when they’re afraid.” He answered, thinking back to how he had still been carrying an unconscious Glenn in his arms. That bugged him, but he could get passed the gun in his face.

“Not that it was entirely unjustified. You did get us into this.” She said, walking around the lone display case in the room. 

“If I get us out, would that make up for it?” Rick asked, his eyes searching Andrea’s own. She stared back for a moment, her eyes cast down as she voiced her response.

“No, but it would be a start.” Rick smiled back at her before looking toward the walkers banging on the door, cracks growing bigger and bigger as time went on. 

“Next time though, take the safety off. Won’t shoot otherwise.” He smirked at her, Andrea looking down in embarrassment. 

“Oh,” She simply stated, fiddling with her gun as Rick went to lean back against the display case. 

“Is that your gun?” He asked. Andrea looked back up at him quickly.

“It was a gift, why?” She asked, Rick immediately walking over and holding out his hand. Andrea handed the gun over to him, Rick looking at it momentarily before flicking one of the switches back.

“Little red dot means it’s ready to fire. You may have occasion to use it.” Rick said, handing the gun back to the blonde. She took the gun back from him, staring at it glumly. 

“Good to know.” She said. The two ended up sitting in silence for just a moment. “Do you think Glenn is gonna be okay?” She asked, eyes meeting Rick’s own for only a split second. Rick sighed, his back hitting the hot metal of the jewelry case. 

“If I have anything to do with it, they’ll both be perfectly healthy come nightfall.” Rick said. Andrea nodded, looking down again.

“I can’t believe he didn’t tell us he was pregnant. All the runs he’s done, by himself even, and he was carrying a child.” Andrea said, looking back up at the walkers banging on the door. Rick followed her gaze, shrugging his shoulders.

“He wasn’t gonna tell me either. I figured it out on my own. Said he wasn’t really sick, then completely clenched up when I mentioned my wife’s pregnancy.” Rick said, and Andrea nodded sadly. She wanted to ask about the man’s family, but after pointing a gun in his face she didn’t think she had much a right to ask. “Probably scared. Poor kid, can’t imagine what he’s goin’ through.” Andrea chuckled at this, nodding her head.

“Hard having a baby without the dead trying to knock down your door.” Andrea said, shaking her head. 

“Daryl his husband then?” Rick asked, and Andrea nodded her head. 

“Daryl Dixon. For sure not a pair you’d expect. We didn’t even know they were married the first couple days they came to camp. Daryl was too busy babysitting Merle’s drunk ass, and Glenn found a nice niche with an old man back at our camp. Name’s Dale, taught him a bit about cars and RVs.” Andrea said, and Rick listened intently. It was nice getting to know about their group. He knew he couldn’t just leave their group immediately. Knowing now that the refugee center had been a bust, he couldn’t just wander the streets of Atlanta alone. Not only that, but he didn’t think he could run off without knowing Glenn and the baby were alright. 

“But, one day, Glenn got sick. Like he was now. Just dropped on us, dead to the world. Daryl and Merle came guns blazing, in a metaphorical sense. Daryl had lifted his head into his lap, called him baby, sweetheart, honey. Every pet name you’d never think you could get out of someone with a mouth like Daryl’s. Then Glenn opened his eyes, and you could just see the love flood between them. It was disgusting.” Rick laughed at that, shaking his head. That reminded him a lot of he and Lori back when they were Glenn’s age. Happy and crazy in love, their first baby on the way. It had been a much happier time in their marriage, and he wished he could go back to that time. 

“Gonna assume they found out he was pregnant before the dead started walkin’. Damn, that’s a shame.” Rick said, head falling into his hands. He couldn’t imagine the thought of he and Lori finding out they were going to have a baby, and then not too long after the world ends. How unfair is that?

“Definitely shitty, I’ll agree with that. He’ll be alright though, he’s got two Dixons behind him. Ain’t nothing happening to that kid while they’re around.” Andrea winked at him, easing Rick’s worry. The two smiled at each other, going back to watching the walkers outside the door. 

_____

“Anybody out there?” 

“Hello?”

“Anybody read? I’m hopin’ to hear somebodies voice because I’m gettin’ sick and tired of hearin’ mine.” T-Dog spoke angrily into the walkie in his hand, Merle shaking his head. Glenn had long since fallen asleep in the older man’s lap, his breathing even and no cause for worry.

“Yeah, that makes two of us.” Merle says, raking his finger’s through Glenn’s hair again. “Why don’t you knock that crap off? You’re givin’ me a headache, boy.” T-Dog rolled his eyes. 

“Why don’t ya pull your head outta your ass? Maybe your headache would go away.” T-Dog responded, still playing around with the walkie. Merle chuckled, shaking his head at the other man’s arrogance. “Try some positivity for a change. Damn.” 

“Look, I just don’t wan’ Glenn ta wake up. Alright?” Merle said, annoyed. T-Dog looked up at him, eyes narrowed but he didn’t bite back. “I know what y’all think a me, and to be quite frank, I don’t give two shits. But my baby brother’s boy is sick, so ya better heed my warning. Don’ wake ‘im up for that shit.” Merle went back to staring down at Glenn, T-Dog sighing as he put the walkie down beside him. 

_____

Jacqui and Morales pushed their way through into a lower part of the sewer, flashlights roaming around as they stood in front of a gated off part of the sewer. 

“Yeah, we got ourselves a sewer tunnel.” Morales said, walking up quickly behind Jacqui. “You were right.” Jacqui quickly walked forward, attempted to move the sewer grate out of the way. Without much luck the two looked around, startled back as their flashlights illuminated the bloody face of a walker. The two shot back as the walker’s hands reached out for them; a mangled, dead mouse clasped in its right hand. They looked at each other sadly, sighing greatly as their one form of escape ceased to be feasible. 

_____

Andrea and Rick stood side by side, the two having ended their conversation concerning Glenn to one in favor of Andrea’s younger sister. Rick had come across her looking at a very nice looking necklace of a mermaid, Andrea telling him all about how her younger sister was simply fascinated by all things fantasy. 

“Why don’t you take it?” He’d asked, looking down at the blonde. She shrugged her shoulders, smiling lightly.

“There’s a cop staring right at me.” She responded, and Rick chuckled lightly in response. “Would it be considered looting?” Rick sat for a moment, questioning himself logically. 

“I don’t think those sort of rules apply anymore.” Rick smiled at her, Andrea smiling back. The two jumped as the sound of the first doors the walkers had been working at shattered, the one working diligently with the rock being the first to make its way to the second pair. 

“What did you find down there?” Rick asked as Morales and Jacqui stormed back into the room. 

“Not a way out.” Morales said. Rick looked down at his feet, dread filling himself whole as yet another means of escape eluded them.

“We need to find a way out. Soon.” Andrea said, and Rick had to agree. Now not only was it Glenn and his baby that were in immediate danger, but if the walkers broke through the glass, they were in for a real problem. The group made their way quickly up the stairs, barging through the door out onto the roof. Merle shushed them loudly, pointing down to the still sleeping Glenn in his arms. Rick mouth a sorry, Andrea catching the door before it could slam closed behind them. 

Rick asked Morales quickly if he could borrow the pair of binoculars the man had, the other quickly nodding and handing them over to Rick. The sheriff looked out across the streets, eyes stopping on a truck left sitting in the middle of the road. 

“That construction site. Those trucks. They always keep the keys on hand.” Rick said, handing the binoculars back to Morales. The other man lifted them to his own eyes, scanning the ground below them. He sighed hopelessly, shaking his head.

“You’ll never make it passed those walkers.” Morales said. Rick took the binoculars back from Morales, stepping down and looking back toward Glenn.

“He got me out of that tank.” Rick said. The group looking toward each other, sighing as they made their way over to Merle. 

“Oh no, whatcha want now? I promise I been good.” Merle said, rolling his eyes as they came closer. 

“We need to talk to Glenn.” Rick said, sitting eye level with the other man. Merle shook his head, laughing at the idea.

“No way, boy’s been in constant pain all day. Finally got ta sleep.” Merle said. Rick sighed, feeling guilty but knowing there was no way they were getting out of here without Glenn’s advice.

“Please, Merle. He’s the only one that can strategize the way we need. He got me out of that tank, he has to know a way to get over to those trucks.” Rick said. Merle sighed, biting his bottom lip. 

“If he’s in any pain, you leave ‘im alone.” Merle said. Rick nodded in agreement, not wanting the younger to be in any more pain than he had been earlier, and he was willing to leave the kid alone if he was still that sick.

“C’mon boy, you’re the man a the hour.” Merle said, shaking Glenn awake. The younger let out a tired groan, hands coming up to rub his tired eyes. Glenn blinked a few times, his hand traveling instinctively to his abdomen as he let out a small whine. 

“Glenn, can I talk to you?” Rick asked, placing a gentle hand on the younger’s shoulder. Glenn nodded, turning his head to face Rick. 

“We have a plan to get out of here. There’s a truck out in a construction site not too far from here, I know the keys are left on site. Problem is, Morales doesn’t think we can get past the walkers. You got me out of that tank, you have any ideas?” Rick asked. Glenn sighed slightly, looking over at Merle.

“Help me over there?” Merle nodded, adjusting Glenn so he could stand without jostling him too much. Once Glenn was steady, or as steady as he could be, the two made their way over to the side of the building. 

“They were feeding when I got you out of that tank.” Glenn said, shaking his head. “They were distracted.” 

“Can we distract them again?” Rick asked, coming to stand in front of Glenn again. “They’re drawn by sound right?”

“Right, like dogs.” Glenn said, legs wobbling slightly under him. Merle shifted his grip on the smaller man, holding him up tighter than he had been originally. “They hear sound, they come.” He finished. 

“What else?” Rick asked. 

“Aside from they hear you? They see you, smell you, and if they catch you they eat you.” Morales responded back. 

“They can tell us by smell?” Rick asked. 

“Can’t you?” Glenn exclaimed, lifting his arms in exasperation. 

“They smell dead, we don’t.” Andrea responded, elaborating on Glenn’s point. “It’s pretty distinct.” Rick sighed, brain wracking through different ideas he could use to get them all out of there.

_____

Rick ran down stairs, followed closely by the other members of the group. Merle had taken to carrying Glenn on his back much like Rick had done when the two first met earlier in the day. Rick grasped at different pairs of gloves, tossing each of the group members a pair, save for Glenn.

“If bad ideas was an Olympic sport this would take the gold.” Glenn said, Merle shifting the man up on his back so he could hold onto him with only one arm, the gloves held in the other. 

“He’s right. Just stop, okay? Take some time to think this through.” Morales said, following behind Rick as he gathered more and more items for the group. 

“How much time?” Rick asked, pulling long white jackets off the rack next to him. “They already got through one set of doors, and that glass won’t hold forever. And do I have to remind you we have a sick, pregnant man with us that needs to be cooled down and given water and food before he gets even sicker?” Glenn leaned his head down against Merle’s shoulder, a small whine escaping his throat. Rick looked around at all the others, daring them to say something against him. When no one spoke up, Rick handed each person a jacket to cover themselves with. 

Once everyone was suited up, Morales, Rick, and Andrea ran out into the back alley where Rick had been lead inside, grabbing one of the walkers by the arms and dragging him quickly inside. Rick grabbed a crowbar from off the floor and a mask to cover his face with, using the metal to break open a box containing an axe he could easily use to get the job done. Dropping the crowbar down beside him, Rick held the axe tightly in his hands, spinning it around before lifting it up behind him. Rick took quick notice of Glenn’s quickly paling face, he hands shaking as Merle held him back from what Rick was about to do. Rick breathed in deeply, his hands shooting down to slice into the walker’s body. Before the axe connected with the man's body, Rick paused. He couldn't do it.

Rick walked away in frustration, ripping the mask off and walking back over to the body lying before him. Rick fished around in the man’s pockets, pulling out his wallet and looking for the man’s ID card.

“Wayne Dunlap.” He said, looking up at the rest of the people in his group. “Georgia license. Born, 1979.” Rick handed the ID card to Morales first, the man taking a quick look at it before passing it along to Andrea. The card made it’s way around the group, Glenn taking the longest to look at it. “He had 28 dollars in his pocket when he died. And a picture of a pretty girl.” Rick flipped the photo over, reading what was signed on the back. “With love, Rachel. He used to be like us. Worryin’ about bills, or the rent. The Superbowl. If I ever find my family I’m gonna tell ‘em about Wayne.” Rick gathered all of the items back together, placing them back into the man’s pocket before gathering up his dropped mask and axe again.

“One more thing.” Glenn said, looking around at the rest of the group. “He’s an organ donor.” With that, Rick drew the axe down, cutting into the man with as much force as he could allow himself. The entire group let out a collective gasp, flinching and covering their eyes as Rick cut into the man they had just learned so little about. Just as Rick cut the man’s arm off, pulling it away from his body, Glenn felt himself falling from Merle’s grip. The older man tried desperately to keep a hold on him, but he lost his grip and Glenn went crashing to the floor. Rick tried not to stop, knowing that if he even stopped to make sure Glenn was alright it would just take longer to get through the process. 

“Glenn, brother, you alright?” He heard Merle ask, the older man bent over Glenn’s now overly shaking form. With one last strike, Rick removed his mask, handing it over to Morales. 

“Keep chopping.” Rick said, and with a grimace, Morales did what he was told. Rick removed the jacket from around his frame, tossing it against the far wall and coming to stand beside Glenn and Merle. 

“C’mon, brother, it’s alright. Come back ta me.” Merle kept saying, Glenn’s eyes screwed shut as his body shook. “Goin’ crazy, don’t think he can handle this much stress right now.” Merle said to Rick as the man placed his hand gently over Glenn’s head. 

“Coulda been me. Or Daryl.” Glenn said as he shook, Merle sighing as he continued to rub his hand up and down the man’s back. The smell of death was getting to be overwhelming, and with a sickened sigh Merle watched as Glenn began to heave again, stomach acid spilling over his lips as he threw up. They needed to get back to camp, and they needed to do it now. Merle vaguely remembered one of the ladies having a portable ultrasound thingy that hooked up to cell phones. He hoped that the thing still worked, after all, there were still plenty of uses for medical supplies. He knew it had been part of the quite large first aid kid they’d stocked up back in camp. 

“It’s alright, brother, everything’s alright.” Merle said. 

“Rick,” Morales said, motioning for him to join. Rick rubbed his hand over Glenn’s hair one last time before getting up to join the others, throwing his jacket back on over his own clothes.

“Now remember, don’t get any on your skin, or in your eyes.” Rick said, breathing in deeply. The others all nodded, digging their hands into the man’s abdomen and pulling out different amounts of blood and guts. They gathered it all in their hands, walking over to slather it onto Rick and Morales’s jackets, smothering them until the could be mistaken for one of the dead themselves. Rick could hear the sound of Glenn groaning still, his heart breaking for the young man in front of them. 

“Glenn, everything’s alright. Just think of puppies and kittens.” Rick said, most likely unhelpfully. 

“Dead puppies and kittens.” T-Dog added, even more unhelpfully. Glenn bent back over again, vomiting up more acid to add to the ever growing pile next him. 

“That is just evil. What is wrong with you?” Andrea asked, wanting nothing more than to comfort the Asian boy shaking on the floor. 

“Next time let the cracker beat his ass.” Jacqui said to Rick, causing a small chuckle to erupt from Merle’s general direction. Glenn cried out again as he wrapped his arms around his stomach, tears falling down his face. 

“It hurts.” Glenn cried, Merle looking up pleadingly at the other group members. 

“Do we smell like them?” Rick asked. Andrea nodded her head.

“Oh yeah.” She responded. “Morales, just in case.” Andrea handed her gun over to the other man, the older smiling back at her in thanks. 

“If we make it back be ready.” Rick said, nodding toward the members of the group staying back in the store. “Give me the axe, we need more guts.” Rick said, taking another hit at the man below him.

____

Once Morales and Rick made their way into the alley, Andrea shut the door behind her, making her way quickly back into the main room where all the others were now sat around Glenn. 

“Come on, upstairs!” She shouted, Merle lifting Glenn swiftly into his arms as they all booked it up the stairs. Merle made sure to apologize for his rough handling, but it was necessary. The group ran out onto the roof, T-Dog in the front as he ran out in front of all the others.

“T-Dog, try that CB.” Andrea said, running to see over the edge of the roof. Everyone followed her save for Merle and Glenn, the two sat against the steps leading up to the grate. 

“Base camp, this is T-Dog.” T-Dog shouted, sitting down where he had once been seated before Rick’s idea. “Anybody hear me?” Andrea stood over the roof, eyes buried into Morales’s binoculars, trying to spot the two men from up on the roof. “Can anybody out there hear me?” 

“There!” Andrea shouted, pointing toward where she spotted Morales and Rick walking slowly among the walkers. All their eyes turned up as thunder erupted above them, Merle whooping gratefully as the sound became closer and closer. Glenn was still burning up, and it had been well over an hour since he’d last had even a sip of water. He needed to get cooled down, and he needed it now. 

“Base camp, this is T-Dog.” T-Dog tried one more time, a shocked gasp escaping his lips as a voice echoed through the other end. 

“Hello, hello? Reception’s bad on this end. Repeat.” 

“Shane is that you?” T-Dog asked, catching the attention of the rest of the group. “We’re in some deep shit. We’re trapped in the department store. There are geeks all over the place, and Glenn isn’t doing too good. Kid’s got seriously sick.” 

“T-Dog, repeat that last part. Repeat.” T-Dog groaned as he lost the signal again, head thrown back against the wall. He only hoped they at least heard the part about Glenn being sick. If there was anything he could say to get some help out of them, it would be that. 

“They ain’t gonna help us.” Merle said, shaking his head. “Best hope they don’ tell my brother his boy’s sick. He’ll come up here guns blazin’ ta get to ‘im.” Merle chuckled, causing Glenn to smile lightly along with him. He missed Daryl, there was no doubt about it. 

“Probably won’t even be back ‘til tomorrow.” Glenn croaked out, Merle nodding his head along with him. 

“Knowin’ Daryl that sounds ‘bout right.” T-Dog sighed as he watched the two communicate with each other. It was so easy for Merle to be less of an asshole when Glenn was involved, but when it was the rest of the group? Better not turn a side eye at him. He understood that Glenn was carrying his niece or nephew, but that was hardly a reason to do such a 720 when it came to his moods. T-Dog didn’t know how long Glenn and Daryl had been married before shit hit the fan, never cared to ask. Daryl and Merle had been less than kind to him, and Glenn had hardly said a word other than good morning since they’d arrived. Though, the kid had never been rude to him. His good mornings always ended with a large smile as he made his way to speak to Dale. Maybe the kid just had a way with people.

It wasn’t long after that the rain started falling, Merle immediately working to allow the water to soak Glenn’s clothes in a desperate attempt to cool the younger man down. Unfortunately for the others, they weren’t so excited that the rain had begun to fall. With the rain, came the storm. The storm being the smell on those coats washing off along with the blood and guts they’d worked so hard torturing his brother in law with. 

The others watched as suddenly both Rick and Morales took to attacking the walkers surrounding them, knowing that smell was washing off all too quickly. 

“Come on, come on, come on.” Andrea said, her fingers crossed as they ran full speed from the walkers behind them. Rick and Morales pulled themselves quickly over the fence, dropping to the ground and ripping the bloodied coats off as the began to run toward the truck. Rick turned back to fire a few rounds at the walkers now pressed against the gate, Morales instead going to find the key that went to the truck they intended to use. 

“Rick!” Morales shouted, tossing him the key to the car. Rick caught it easily, ignoring the rest of the walkers attempting to climb over the gate in favor of following Morales back to the truck. One of the walkers easily maneuvered its way over the gate, Rick picking up his pace as the man fell unceremoniously to the floor. Rick started the car the second they made it into their seats, Morales barely closing his door in time for the walker to make it to him. The walker gnashed its teeth outside, hitting the pane and groaning as Morales shouted in fright. Rick wasted no time backing away from the walker, the remaining walkers at the gate finally pushing the barrier between them and their food down. Rick continued to back away, running over traffic cones and barrels in the process before driving quickly away. 

“They’re leaving us.” Andrea said confused as she watched the men drive away. “No, no, come back!” They shouted. Merle sighed as he took in his brother in law’s face. Better than it had been, far less achy moans, but still not totally 100%. He didn’t think a little rain would fix him, after all, in the heat the rain had been quite a high temperature. Too high to help Glenn fully anyway, and he still hadn’t drank or eaten properly since the day before. Yeah, Officer Friendly had best hightail it back.

“Those roll-up doors at the front of the store facing the street. Meet us there and be ready.” Morales said through his walkie. Andrea’s face lit up as she pushed the other’s to grab their stuff and get ready to go. The group grabbed their different packs and items, Merle shifting Glenn to his back again as they made to leave the roof of the building. The group ran down the stairs as quick as they could, stopping only for a second to stare wide eyed at the progress the walkers made getting into the building from the last time they had been down the stairs. 

“Come on!” Merle shouted, leading them back toward the roll-up doors Morales told them all to meet him at. T-Dog, Jacqui, and Andrea grabbed at the chain that would help them pull the door up, their ears perking at the sound of something in the distance.

“What is that?” Andrea asked. The others all shrugged their shoulders, confused by the noise as well. “Sounds like a car alarm.” Not long after the group heard a knock on the door signaling for them to open it, the group worked together to pull open the door until it was fully opened. The group threw the supplies into the bed of the truck, Rick assisting Merle in getting Glenn inside the vehicle before the others joined as well, all shouting and frantic for them to get on their way. Rick started driving the second everyone was accounted for, T-Dog jumping up to shut the back door before the walkers that had broken through the glass caught up to them. The entire group let out a collective sigh as Rick drove off. 

“You’re gon’ be alright, lil lady. Don’t you worry.”


	3. Tell It to the Frogs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Rick Grimes.” Rick said, holding his hand out for Daryl to shake. Rick hoped he made a better impression on Daryl than he had on Merle. In response, Daryl spit in his hand, clapping the two together in a firm handshake

Rick drove ahead, eyes trained on the road ahead of him. The sounds of Glenn’s tired groans having faded away as the younger man fell back asleep in his brother in law’s lap. Andrea was turned in her seat, looking back at the Asian in worry. 

“Think we made it in time?” She asked, Rick sighing as he asked himself the same question. 

“I seriously hope so.” Rick responded, ears picking up the sound of the car Morales had been driving behind them. The alarm was still blaring as the other man came to drive up next to the rest of the group, motioning for Rick to roll down the window. 

“Think we should shut the alarm off?” Morales asked, the two still driving at the same speed they had been prior. Rick knew that keeping the alarm going all the way to the camp was a ridiculous idea, but they had no time to stop and mess around with car in an attempt to turn the alarm off yet still keep the car running. 

“Just keep it going. We’ll shut it off when we get there, strip the car for parts if we need to.” Rick shouted over the sound of their engines. Morales sighed but nodded in response, speeding up ahead of the truck the remainder of the group rode in. 

“Should be okay. Quarry’s high up with mountains surrounding it. They shouldn’t be able to pinpoint where the sound is coming from.” Andrea said, and Rick nodded back to her. He hoped she was right.

_____

Morales drove the last length of the way to the quarry, already aware of the groans and grumbles he was going to get as the car alarm rang throughout the area. The sound reverberated around him, his ears aching as the sound entered and exited his ears from all sides. At least the walkers might not have a clue where it was coming from, he sure as Hell could hardly tell on his own. 

Morales finally reached the Quarry, the entire group letting out different shouts and words as they all came to greet him. Shane was quick to admonish him for the noise the car was making, telling him to pop the hood so he could pull the cables from the battery. Once that was done, he was faced with a very worried Amy. Andrea’s sister.

“Andrea, is she okay?” She asked, his eyes trailing over to where his wife and children stood. “Is she alive?” Amy suddenly shouted in his ear. Morales turned to her in annoyance, eyes squinted as he stared back at her.

“Yes!” He said, finally moving his attention back toward his children and wife. The two small kids ran toward him in excitement, his wife moving quickly to meet them along the way. “Glenn’s not doing so hot by the way. Anyone seen Daryl around?” Morales said as his family made their way back over to the others. Each person shook their head no. 

“Haven’t seen him since you all left.” Dale responded, Morales letting out a tired sigh. 

“He’s been begging for him all day. Kid’s really out of it. Dehydrated, overheated, didn’t have a bite to eat left in him by the time we’d left.” Morales questioned briefly whether or not to tell the others about Glenn’s condition. In theory, he knew that would be the best option, that way they would able to pull out any of the phones left with a charge on it and try to get their portable ultrasound to work. Morales knew the first thing Glenn would want once he was fully aware again was to know his baby was in full health. 

“Hey, Dale?” Morales said, motioning for the older man to follow him so they could speak in private. “I’m only telling you this because it seems like you and Glenn have a pretty decent relationship going, and I know you’re probably the best person to help us in this scenario. Merle essentially told us when we were in Atlanta that Glenn is pregnant.” Morales said, biting his tongue as Dale’s eyes widened. 

“You’re kidding?” Dale asked, his hands coming to rest again his waist. Morales shook his head no, eyes trailing back to the prying leader of their group. The younger man couldn’t stand how much Shane wanted to be privy to all of their conversations, even ones he didn’t have any place in. “You want to use that ultrasound then?” Dale asked, Morales nodding in response. Dale nodded his head, going inside his RV to gather up the necessary pieces he would need to put it together.

“Everythin’ alright then, Morales?” Shane asked, hands on his hips as he came to stand next to the larger man. Morales wanted to scoff, tell the man to find something else to occupy his time with. 

“Dandy. Look, they’re back.” Morales changed the subject, pointing back toward the truck now driving up the road. The Hispanic man quickly jogged his way over to the back of the truck, arms outstretched for Merle to place Glenn in his arms so the older could hop out behind him. Once the redneck found his footing, Merle immediately grabbed Glenn back from him, calling for someone to follow him down to the Quarry and someone else to grab food and water for the Asian. T-Dog and Jacqui were the first to step forward, hugging everyone in turn as they grabbed their supplies and followed the quickly retreating Merle down toward the Quarry.

“You’re alright, almost there.” Merle said, his own feet splashing into the ice cold water as he finally made it down to the bed of the quarry. Merle held Glenn up so he was floating in the water, one hand helping the water cover the younger’s face and chest. “There we go, brother. Getcha all cooled down. Everythin’ll be alright.” Merle turned back toward where T-Dog and Jacqui finally had finally caught up to him, several bottles of water and a box of crackers held in their hands. Merle lifted Glenn carefully back out of the stream, relief flooding through him as the man began to shiver lightly. 

“Dale figured he might have a salt depletion. Gave us these to help.” T-Dog said, handing the box of saltine crackers over to Merle. The older man simply growled in response, taking one of the bottles of water from Jacqui next.

“Any y’all think we could find Daryl ‘fore nightfall?” Merle asked as he helped Glenn drink the water. 

“Hell nah, man. That guy practically falls off the damn Earth when he hunts.” T-Dog responded, the tone in his voice clearly showing how much the man truly didn’t want to find Daryl. The man had no idea what Glenn saw in the older man. He was rude, sarcastic, spat racial slurs like it was normal. Daryl maybe wasn’t as bad as his brother, but T-Dog sure as Hell could use a night without the two of them together. 

“Now is that a fact, or do ya just not wanna find ‘im?” Merle asked, eyes boring into T-Dog’s own. The shorter man didn’t respond, simply staring back at Merle with an air of defiance that would surely lead to another roof dispute if it wasn’t solved quickly. “Alright,” Merle chuckled, handing the half empty bottle of water to Jacqui so that she could take his place. “I’m not sure I gotta remind you, but this one has been beggin’ for him all God damn day. In his sleep, even.” T-Dog bit his lip as Merle kept stalking closer and closer to him, the movements threatening, but not overly so.

“Don’t see what the kid sees in him.” Merle took another swing at T-Dog, the punch only missing because a smaller body grabbed onto his arm and pulled it back down to his side. Merle looked back to see Glenn standing next to him, eyes wide and breathing quick. The older Dixon groaned in frustration, spitting at T-Dog before flipping the man off. 

“There a problem, Merle?” Merle looked up to see the old man and Officer Friendly making their way down to them, Rick having been the one to speak the question. Merle chuckled, shaking his head.

“Not anythin’ a good ass beatin’ couldn’t fix.” Merle turned back toward Glenn, motioning for him to go back to Jacqui and continue drinking the water and eating the crackers. The smaller man reluctantly agreed, Jacqui giving him a comforting hug as he sat down. Dale scoffed back at Merle, walking forward until he stood in front of Glenn.

“Hey, kid.” Dale started, Glenn’s eyes falling down to the ground. “Morales told me about the baby. I got that portable ultrasound working if you wanna come get checked out?” Glenn continued to stare down, seemingly very interested in the dirt before nodding his head in agreement. Dale held a hand out to the still soaking wet man, Glenn taking it gratefully as Dale assisted him up off the ground. The group walked back to the camp slowly, Glenn refusing to look up as he made his way through the camp. He was sure by that point everyone knew about his poorly kept secret, and it made him sick to his stomach. What would they all think of him? The group back in Atlanta had been well received, possibly because he had been so sick, but he was well aware that the others may not take too well to it. 

“Come on, son. It’s alright.” Dale said, patting Glenn comfortingly on his back. Glenn’s eyes still never left the ground. Once they made it to the RV, Dale had Glenn lay down on the makeshift bed he had set up in the back. “Had this from back when my wife was pregnant. She had a really high risk one, so we kept this around just in case.” Dale said as he brought the small instrument forward. The rest of the group, Glenn noticed, had not followed them inside. He was grateful for the space given to him, only Merle, Dale, and himself left in the small space.

“Hey, lil lady. Imma go look for Daryl alright?” Merle said, coming up to stand next to him. Glenn nodded in thanks, the man slapping his hand on the door as a way of a goodbye. Glenn could feel his hands shaking, his heart seizing up at the thought of his child not being okay. He wanted Daryl with him. 

“Only reason I got one of these smart phone things was for this.” Dale chuckled, Glenn smirking a little back. Glenn liked Dale. He was funny, good to talk to, treated him a lot like a father would his son. They had formed a decent bond when Daryl was busy keeping Merle’s ass out of trouble, and Glenn was grateful for that now. 

“What happened?” Glenn asked as Dale motioned for him to lift up his shirt. The old man looked down to the ground, sighing. 

“Wife was too old. It was only ten or so years ago. Maybe more.” Dale said. Glenn nodded, sighing as the man told the story. Glenn couldn’t imagine the pain of losing his son or daughter. “This’ll be cold.” Glenn flexed his fingers as the cool gel made its way over his lower abdomen, the blue substance doing better chilling him than the quarry water had. Idly he thought it was more the nerves causing the shivers along his body, but he allowed himself to believe it was the gel for just a moment.

“App on your phone. How cool is that?” Dale smiled at him, trying to calm the younger man down. Glenn smiled lightly back at him. Finally, Dale pressed the instrument down on top of the gel, wiping it across slowly. His eyes were boring into his phone, Glenn’s heart quickening with every second that passed. Suddenly, a small smile broke out onto Dale’s face. “There we are.” He said. Glenn breathed in deeply, staring at Dale with a mix of apprehension and excitement. 

“Well?” Glenn asked as Dale turned the volume up on his phone. Suddenly, a steady, strong heartbeat began to fill the room. Tears streamed down Glenn’s face as the sound filled the otherwise silent expanse of the RV. 

“Sounds perfect.” Dale said, swiping the wand over just a little more. “Everything looks to be alright. My wife didn’t get this far in, but the doctor did tell me what to look for.” Dale said, smiling lightly at Glenn. The Asian gave a sigh of relief, his hand settling just above where Dale still held the wand.

“Can I see?” Glenn asked, and Dale turned the phone back toward him. Glenn took a long moment to just stare at the picture on the screen. He could see the faint outline of his child’s facial features, their hand moving up near their face. It was okay, and with that knowledge, Glenn let out a huge sigh.

“Gonna keep this around. Check up on you again in a couple weeks. Might be able to tell the gender by then.” Dale smiled as he wiped the wand off with a rag, shutting the phone down and putting the instrument away. Glenn sat up as Dale handed him a few paper towels, wiping the rest of the now warmed up gell off his stomach. 

“I’m shocked at how well everyone’s taken it so far.” Glenn said suddenly, Dale deciding to sit next to the younger man on the bed. Dale placed a comforting hand on the Korean’s shoulder, smiling lightly at him.

“This has been a thing for 70 some years, Glenn. It’s real, whether people like to believe it or not. The people here are all pretty like minded. We see nothing strange about it.” Dale said, and Glenn nodded back to him, his head falling down to look at the floor again. 

“My mom told me it was unnatural like mine and Daryl’s relationship. I hadn’t even wanted to tell my mom but, she insisted on knowing why she kept getting doctor bills in the mail.” Glenn’s hand traveled back to his now covered stomach, rubbing it lightly. “Daryl and I have been married for six years, dating for God knows how long. For some reason my insurance company never could get the address right. Most of my bills came as Glenn Rhee to my parent’s house, instead of Glenn Dixon at my own.” Dale nodded along, listening intently as the younger man spoke. His heart broke at the admission that his own mother found not only his long lasting relationship unnatural, but her own grandchild as well.

“So, I told her. And she flipped. Told me that it was bad enough I had sex with a man, but now I was bringing an even bigger disgrace into the world.” Tears slowly began to fall out of the younger’s eyes again, but instead of allowing them to fall, Glenn quickly went to swipe them away. “If my own mother couldn’t handle it, I don’t see why all of you can.” Glenn desperately tried to wipe the tears away, embarrassed by how little control he’d had over his emotions the last two days. He couldn’t remember a time he’d cried more even if he sat down and really tried.

“You know, Glenn, there’s always going to be people like that out there.” Dale said, Glenn’s eyes traveling up to look into Dale’s own. “People that are so stuck in the past that they can’t drag their way out. Let me tell ya something though. They’re not happy. The ones like that. They see you and they see something wrong. Something God didn’t intend. They obsess over how different you are, how wrong they believe you, Daryl, and your child are. They spend so much time obsessing that they live in that awful state of mind, and they can never truly be happy. You on the other hand? You have someone that loves you. Adores you, and no one else. Trust me, I don’t even think he likes other people.” Glenn chuckled at that, wiping the last of the tears off his face.

“You have a man that would do absolutely anything for you. You have a child that you both love, that you both wanted. There are plenty of men and women out there having sex for fun and throwing babies made from that into foster homes. Abusing them, aborting them.” Glenn cringed at that. “Hell, you see how Ed is with Sophia. She was born from a man and a woman, and she’s terrified of her own father.”

“At the end of the day, everyone in this camp could be against you, but your child will still look up at you with loving eyes and call you daddy. Will want you to play hide and seek, cook them dinner, tell them a bedtime story. What our opinion of you is doesn’t change that. At the end of it all, you’re the one that wins.” Dale finished, smiling lightly as Glenn’s face became void of any tears. 

“Thank you.” Glenn whispered, wrapping his arms tightly around the older man. “I wish you were around before all this happened. It’s nice to have some fatherly wisdom.” Glenn said, immediately questioning whether or not he should have said what he did. “Sorry, that slipped out I-”

“No. I’m glad to be here for you, son.” Dale smiled, pressing his hand to Glenn’s cheek. Glenn smiled brightly up at Dale, his heart settling just a little for the first time all day. “Let me grab you a blanket and pillow, you need to rest. Some dry clothes too.” Dale got up off the bed in search for said items, an involuntary yawn escaping Glenn’s lips at the idea of sleep. Part of his brain was still on high alert, screaming for Daryl and even a fraction of the comfort the man brought to him. The rest however, the part that was currently winning only by sheer exhaustion, was telling him that he needed to lay down and take a break. Plus, time went much faster when he slept, which meant less time waiting for Daryl. 

“Alright, here you go.” Dale said, placing two pillows on the end of the bed, waiting for Glenn to change into the dry clothes and settle himself down before covering him with a long, fluffy blanket. It was as comfortable as he had been since they were forced out into the quarry, a sleeping bag not even coming close to the feeling of a real blanket. “By the way, you know that guy you all dragged back here from Atlanta?” Glenn nodded, his eyes closing as exhaustion overwhelmed him.

“His family is here.”

_____

Glenn woke up a few hours later, groaning as he pulled himself up out of the comfortable bed. The sun had long since set, and he was vaguely aware of the talking going on outside of the RV. The Asian sighed as he took notice that Daryl still most likely had not come back yet, the younger unable to imagine Daryl not coming to sit with him had he returned while he was sleeping. Instead of dwelling on the fact neither Merle nor Daryl had returned, Glenn lifted himself out of the bed, slipping his only slightly less soaked shoes on before making his way out of the RV. Everyone’s eyes turned toward him as he made his way over to the fire, Glenn’s face heating up at the stares and ceased conversation.

“Feelin’ better, Glenn?” Rick asked from where he sat, Lori leaning on his shoulder and Carl sitting between his legs. Glenn smiled at the sight, happy that Rick had found his family after all.

“Yeah, a lot.” Glenn said, going to sit in an empty chair next to Dale. The old man smiled lightly at him, his hand going to rub up and down Glenn’s back. “They not back then?” Glenn asked Dale quietly as other conversations began to surface again, Dale sighing before shaking his head.

“No, neither one of ‘em. I assume that means Merle hasn’t found Daryl. Pretty typical though.” Glenn nodded, smiling gratefully as Andrea handed Glenn a bowl filled with some sort of soup. Glenn took tentative bites of it, not wanting to upset his stomach by eating too quickly, but also desperate to get real food into his body.

“So, Rick.” Morales spoke up, looking over toward the other man. “What’s your story? If you wanna tell.” Rick sighed, eyes locking with Shane’s as he filtered all that had happened to him through his mind. Glenn had to admit he was curious as well. After all, he did just go through complete Hell just for trying to help the man. He’d like to know a little more about him. 

“Well, I was in the hospital when it all started. Fell into a coma after bein’ shot on the job. Disoriented. I guess that comes closest to how I felt.” Rick began, his voice tired and strained. Glenn could tell that the story was going to be hard to tell, but the man pressed on regardless. “Disoriented. Fear, confusion, all those things. But, disoriented comes closest.”

“Words can be meager things.” Dale says suddenly, the entire group looking almost dejected into the fire. “Sometimes they fall short.” 

“I felt like I had been ripped outta my life. Put somewhere else. For a while I thought I was trapped in some coma dream. Something I might not wake up from. Ever.” Lori placed her hand comfortingly on the hand her husband had laying over her shoulder, Glenn’s heart suddenly constricting. God he wanted Daryl to be there. After all he went through that day, he wanted nothing more. Dale seemed to pick up on Glenn’s sudden slump in attitude, wrapping his arm around the younger’s shoulders.

“He’ll be back.” Dale said, and Glenn nodded, smiling in thanks.

“Mom said you died.” Carl suddenly spoke out, Lori’s eyes widening at the admission. Glenn bit his lip as Rick took the words in.

“She had every reason to believe that.” Rick said, his hand going to cup his son’s cheek as Lori rubbed back Carl’s hair comfortingly. “Don’t you ever doubt it.” 

“When things started to get really bad, they told me at the hospital that they were gonna medevac you and the other patients to Atlanta. And it never happened.” Glenn’s eyes trailed curiously between Shane and Lori, the other man’s eyes darting down almost guiltily as the conversation went on. He had originally thought that Shane was married to Lori when they’d first arrived, not becoming aware of Lori losing her husband until a few days later when he overheard her speaking about it with the other girls of the camp.

“Well I’m not surprised after Atlanta fell.” Rick said, eyes darting around the rest of the campers. 

“Yeah.” Lori whispered.

“And from the look of that hospital it got overrun.” Rick’s eyes trailed back down to his son, his hand trailing down the young boy’s forehead. Without thinking, Glenn’s hand traveled back to his abdomen, the Korean drawing small circles over where Dale had found his baby earlier in the day. 

“Yeah, looks don’t deceive.” Shane suddenly said, Glenn’s hand stilling at the voice. Of all the people in the group, Shane intimidated Glenn the most. He seemed like a nice guy, decent leader, but he was far too nosy for his own good. If he thought someone was doing something behind his back, telling secrets, he’d make a point to butt into the conversation and make sure that all was well with his camp. Glenn knew that times were different, but he didn’t enjoy being scrutinized whenever Daryl made sure he ate a little bit more than the others. 

“I barely got them out, you know?” Shane was quiet as he spoke, his fingers picking idly at the nails on his other hand.

“I can’t tell you how grateful I am to you, Shane.” Rick said, his eyes bright and determined. “Can’t begin to express it.” Shane swallowed roughly at the statement.

“There go those words falling short again.” Dale smiled, looking between the two men. “Paltry things.” Glenn smiled back at him, his hand once again idly stroking his stomach as Shane’s eyes trailed over to where Ed sat with his family. Glenn sat his still half full bowl of soup down, his stomach starting to rebel again just slightly. He’d be sure to finish it before he went to bed, if Dale’s disapproving glare told him anything. 

“Hey, Ed,” Shane started, the entire group turning to look back at the other man. “Wanna rethink that log?”

“It’s cold, man.” Ed was right. The temperature went from sweltering to mildly chilly fast. It was a welcome change to Glenn, but he knew that the fire might attract visitors that they really didn’t need. 

“Cold don’t change the rules does it?” Shane said, eyes looking up at the three’s group. “Keep our fires low, just embers, so we can’t be seen from a distance, right?” Shane’s teeth were practically clenched at this point, his temper short strung even on the best of days. Glenn was shocked the man was still attempting to defy their de facto leader. 

“I said it’s cold. Why don’tcha mind your own business for once?” Ed asked, hand hanging over the back of his chair as he barely turned toward the other group. Shane stood up then, stalking over angrily toward the other group. Glenn saw T-Dog reach for Shane but the man simply pulled his hand back, his fingers touching his lips. 

“Hey, Ed?” Shane said as he stood next to the other man. “Sure you wanna have this conversation, man?” Ed stared back at Shane defiantly before letting out a small chuckle, eyes bowed down in a show that Glenn could only call submission. 

“Go on. Pull the damn thing out.” Ed said, eyes looking up only fleetingly at his wife. “Go on!” Carol shot up out of her seat quickly, walking around to pull the recently added log out of the fire. 

“Christ.” Shane whispered under his breath, Dale’s talk about the way Ed treated his family suddenly making even more sense now that Glenn’s brain wasn’t so exhaust ridden. Carol pulled the log from the fire, immediately running back to her seat next to her daughter. Shane made his way over, stomping out the remaining fire still clinging to the wood. Once he finished, he walked a few steps over, kneeling down until he was eye level with Carol and Sophia.

“Hey, Carol, Sophia. How ya’ll doin’ this evening?” 

“Fine. We’re just fine.” Carol answered quickly, hardly giving the man a time to breathe before answering.

“Okay.” Shane said. Glenn could see from where he was sitting the angry glare Ed was giving his wife, his stomach clenching up at the thought of Carol joining them with even more bruises the next day. 

“Sorry ‘bout the fire.” She said back, Shane immediately letting out a chorus of no’s as a way to tell her that it hadn’t been her fault. 

“No apology needed. Y’all have a good night, okay?” With that, Shane stood up to begin walking back over to where he had been sitting with the group. Carol nodded almost sadly as the man prepared to walk away.

“Thank you.” She responded quietly. 

“Appreciate the cooperation.” Shane said as he walked back over to his group, sitting back down where he had been a few minutes ago. Glenn sighed as his stomach gave another uncomfortable lurch, picking up his bowl of soup and downing it quickly. 

“I’m going to head to bed. I’m still not feeling too good.” Glenn said more to Dale than the rest of the group, but they all bid him goodnight regardless. Glenn walked slowly back to his tent, hand resting on his stomach as he unzipped the three Dixon’s tent and made his way inside. Normally, Glenn would take his time getting ready for bed. Dragging out all the necessary little things he had to do. Brush his teeth, get changed, but without Merle there, he had no reason to stay out of the tent longer than normal. 

Glenn didn’t even bother changing as he fell against the overly large sleeping bag he shared with Daryl, his face immediately facing down on the older man’s pillow. It still smelled of woods and some sort of body spray Glenn had never cared enough to know the name of. All he knew was he liked it, and it helped him sleep when Daryl wasn’t around. 

“Your papa needs to get his butt back here by morning.” Glenn said as he pulled the sleeping bag up over himself. Glenn pressed his nose into the fabric one more time, allowing the scent to wash over him. It wasn’t long after that Glenn’s eyes drooped closed, sleep claiming him.

_____

 

By the time Glenn woke the next morning, he was aware of the sounds of camp bustling all around him. The Korean groaned, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he desperately shook the sleep away. Today was most likely the day Daryl would be coming back from his hunt, and besides, he really didn’t need to sleep the whole day away anyway. With that, Glenn lifted himself up out of the sleeping bag, grateful for the sickness he’d been plagued with all yesterday being completely gone from his system for now. He felt much better, headache gone, stomach holding its own, steps solid. It might be a decent day. 

Glenn quickly went to work changing his clothes, deciding on a simple black shirt, plaid button up and jeans; all tied together with his trusty red ball cap that Daryl absolutely hated. It had been one of the last presents he received from one of his sisters, so he held onto it tight. No matter how many times Daryl tried to shoot an arrow through the thing. Once Glenn was properly dressed, he made his way out of the tent, shocked to see that nearly everyone was awake minus some of the kids and Rick. 

Glenn intended to make his way to Dale’s RV, his feet dragging him in that direction before he was stopped by a call of his name behind him. Glenn turned around, coming face to face with Shane.  
“Hey, I needa talk to ya for a minute.” Shane said, motioning for Glenn to follow him. Glenn sighed lightly, walking directly behind the man. Eventually, the two made it to a more secluded space where no one could overhear their conversation, Shane leaning his back against one of the many trees around them. “Now ya know how I don’ like secrets in the camp.” Shane began, and Glenn’s heart clenched up at the statement. In response, Glenn nodded his head.

“I know you’ve been gettin’ sick since before this all started, and now you’ve started sneakin’ around with Dale too. If there’s somethin’ wrong, I need to know.” Shane said, eyes boring into Glenn’s own. “I know that everyone who went on that run yesterday knows somethin’, and now Dale’s even sounding a bit more sure when he says you’ve just got trouble with your blood pressure and sugar. I saw Morales say somethin’ to him before you all got back.” Shane said, and Glenn bit the inside of his lip. Why was Shane always so pushy? It’s not like he was hurting anyone with it. Why couldn’t Shane just take the blood pressure answer and leave it alone?

“Look, I’m not tryna antagonize you or anything. I just don’ like secrets round this campsite. We’re all tryna survive here.” Shane said, eyes still locked onto Glenn’s own. “I see Daryl give you his food sometimes, water. I see you rubbin’ your belly too when you think no one’s lookin’.” Glenn scoffed, rolling his eyes. If Shane was going to hint at the fact he knew, Glenn wished he would just say it. 

“It’s not any of your business, Shane.” Glenn said annoyed, turning on his heels and walking back toward the camp. 

“Hey!” Shane yelled, grabbing Glenn by the shoulder and turning him around roughly. Glenn humphed at the change, hands immediately pushing the other man away. “It’s my job to keep everyone ‘round here safe. I gotta know if you’re gonna jeopardize us.” Shane said, and Glenn let out a laugh.

“That’s what this is about? You think that I’m somehow going to jeopardize everyone? Get real, Shane.” Glenn was aware that part of the reason getting back to the Quarry was so hard was because Glenn had been sick, but it definitely wasn’t the reason it all happened. Part of Glenn began to wonder if Shane needed to go off on someone for the problems the day before, but couldn’t bare to blame his best friend. 

“Well yesterday was-” Shane suddenly got caught off by the sound of screaming.

“Mom!” They heard, and suddenly everyone was running toward the noise.

“Carl?” Lori screamed as practically the entire camp flooded into the woods, Glenn following after he caught sight of Dale going along with them. 

“Dad!”

“Momma!” They heard the children screaming, Shane grabbing a gun while the others all picked up other items that could easily be used as weapons. 

“Carl? Carl! Baby!” Lori shouted as they ran through the thick trees. It didn’t take them long before they reached the children, Jacqui leading them back as she fell to one knee in front of the two mothers taking hold of their children. The rest of the group ran forward, the group running into a clearing where a deer lay dead, a walker munching on the muscle it ripped from the deer’s throat. Glenn caught sight of his husband’s arrows embedded in the deer’s rear. 

“Oh, Daryl’s gonna be pissed.” Glenn breathed, the walker turning around at the sound. The once man looked up at them, growling as he began to walk forward. Rick took his chance to beat the walker back with what he had grabbed as a weapon, Shane knocking it down to the ground with the barrel of his gun. The rest of the men took turns beating at the walker, the thing not seeming to stop until Dale lifted an axe above his head, swinging it down with a cry and severing its head from it’s skull. The group stepped back, taking a moment to breathe as the threat ceased to exist for a moment.

“This is the first one we’ve had up here. They never come this far up the mountain.” Dale said, eyes trailing over the expanse of trees. Glenn suddenly felt his stomach begin to ache again, realizing quickly that his body had an absolute awful time dealing with stress. Hopefully Daryl wasn’t far behind the deer. 

“Well, they’re running out of food in the city. That’s what that means.” Jim said, the others all staring down at the ground dejected. Not long after they heard the sound of twigs and branches snapping to their right, everyone suddenly on guard as they awaited what was making the noise. Glenn held his breath, wondering idly if this might be the last night they’d end up being truly safe in the Quarry camp. That was, until Daryl hopped down into their line of sight. Shane rolled his eyes, putting his gun down as the rest of them followed his lead.

“Daryl!” Glenn shouted, running up to wrap his arms around his husband. Daryl smiled lightly at the younger man, dropping his crossbow for a moment to wrap his arms back around him. 

“Hey, sweetheart. Everything go alright yesterday?” Daryl asked, eyes fleeting over to the deer he had taken down. Glenn could see his teeth clench at the gnawed up piece of flesh.

“Not really. Got sick again.” Glenn said, eyes falling down to his feet as he pulled himself away, Daryl leaning down to pick his crossbow back up off the ground. 

“S’alright. We’ll talk about it in a minute.” Daryl said, walking forward to assess the damage done to his kill. “Son of a bitch. That’s my deer!” He suddenly shouted, Glenn flinching at the anger filling his husband’s tone. “Look at it. All gnawed up by this filthy,” Daryl began, swiftly kicking the walker’s body. “Disease-bearing, motherless, poxy bastard!” Glenn reached out a gentle hand, grasping Daryl’s in his own. The older man looked down at him, his eyes upset but body clearly angry. 

“Calm down son. That’s not helping.” Dale said, Daryl immediately ripping his hand from Glenn’s grip, stalking up toward Dale angrily.

“What do you know about it old man? Why don’t you take that stupid hat and go back to “On Golden Pond”?” Glenn saw the way Shane placed his gun between Daryl and Dale, the Asian’s lip quickly finding its way between his teeth at the exchange. Glenn really wished they would leave comforting Daryl to him sometimes. It was clear that Daryl had been somewhat more in control before Dale had spoken up. Glenn knew what to do, after all, he’d seen the man through his worst. Back when Daryl had no one he could open up to like he could Glenn. 

“Been tracking this deer for miles.” Daryl said as he made his way back over to the chewed up deer, his hand ghosting over Glenn’s momentarily. “Gonna drag it back to camp. Cook us up some venison.” Glenn followed behind Daryl as he worked to pull the bolts out from the deer’s rear, sighing at the thought of how much food they’d just lost. 

“What you think? Think we can cut around this chewed up part right here?” Daryl asked, using one of his bloodied bolts to trace around what he was talking about. Shane shook his head. 

“I would not risk that.” He responded. Daryl sighed, walking back over to Glenn and placing a hand on the small of his back.

“That’s a damn shame.” Daryl said. Glenn was glad to hear his husband’s tone evening out, the anger all but receding from his voice. “I got some squirrel, about a dozen or so. It’ll have to do.” Daryl said as he looked out at the others. Everyone seemed to nod submissively, the disappointment from losing the deer evident in all their faces. 

Glenn was slightly startled as Daryl pushed the younger man behind him, pulling his crossbow back and pulling it up to aim it at the dismembered head from the walker. “Oh God.” He heard Amy say, the blonde turning to walk away from the scene in front of her. 

“Come on people, what the Hell?” Daryl said, shooting the walker right through the eye. Once the head ceased moving, the older man walked forward, pulling the bolt out. “It’s gotta be the brain.” Once again, Daryl backed up, his hand finding it’s place on Glenn’s back as he led the younger back toward camp. 

“You feelin’ better?” Daryl asked, worry lacing his tone as they walked back. Glenn nodded, his hand seeking out the one Daryl had planted on his back.

“It was really bad this time. Think I was unconscious more than half the time we were in Atlanta.” Glenn said, sighing. Daryl stopped them both, placing a soft kiss on the Korean’s forehead.  
“Baby alright?” Daryl asked, standing in a way he shielded any prying eyes as he placed his hand on Glenn’s abdomen. 

“Yeah. Dale had a portable ultrasound from when his wife was pregnant. Even said in a couple weeks we might be able to tell the gender.” Glenn smiled, Daryl smiling back. The older man placed a soft kiss on the other’s lips before finishing their journey back to camp. Glenn was always amazed at how far Daryl had come since they’d first met. Even the first year into their marriage, Daryl had been very nervous, short tempered, and sometimes downright cruel. Now, Glenn found that those instances were nearly non-existent, Daryl’s old personality only truly showing itself when Merle was around or new people were involved. 

Speaking of Merle.

“Merle!” Daryl shouted, his heart dropping as he realized Merle wasn’t with Daryl. Glenn had been so caught up thinking about the walker and Daryl being back, he hadn’t even noticed Merle was missing. “Merle! Get your ugly ass out here! I got us some squirrel, let’s stew ‘em up.” Daryl said, placing the squirrel down by the still barely lit fire.

“Uh, Daryl?” Glenn said nervously, coming to stand next to his husband. Daryl turned to look at him, confusion written on his face. “When I was sick yesterday, Merle went to look for you. He hasn’t come back yet.” Glenn said, and Daryl’s face fell. Glenn’s heart beat rapidly in his chest at the face his husband was making, his hands fiddling with each other nervously.

“I didn’t see ‘em. It’s not like I go very far I jus’ try to stay quiet.” Daryl said, running a hand through his short hair. “Think he’ll come ‘round after a while?” Daryl asked. Glenn nodded his head, kissing his husband lightly on his chin. 

“He knew you were coming back today more than likely. Don’t think he’ll stay out much later than today or tomorrow.” Daryl nodded back at him, sniffing quietly as he bent down to pick up the squirrel. “Wanna help me then? Figure it’s been awhile since we’ve cooked like this together.” Glenn smiled brightly at him, nodding his head. Every time Glenn and Daryl had made squirrel or deer for dinner, it had been on days they visited Merle or Merle visited them. Therefore, the “chink” stayed in the living room while the two brothers did the cooking. Other days saw them eating pizza or fast food Daryl grabbed on his way home from the construction site he worked at. 

“Hold on a minute, Glenn.” Shane said, stepping forward. “I’m not done talkin’ to you.” Glenn’s body clenched up instinctively, his hand finding Daryl’s and squeezing it. Daryl looked down at him questioningly, worried by his husband’s nervous feelings over talking to Shane. Daryl was well aware that Glenn was intimidated by the man, and Daryl just straight up couldn’t stand him, but Glenn was never nervous to talk to him.

“What about? I already said my peace on the subject.” Glenn bit. Shane laughed, wiping his finger over his mouth.  
“I’d advise you to not speak to authority in that manner, but with a husband like yours I’m sure that courtesy wasn’t instilled in you.” Glenn felt Daryl begin to seethe, the man attempting to step out of Glenn’s hold. He would have to, if Glenn hadn’t grabbed onto his arm to hold him back. 

“Come again, Walsh?” Daryl said, his voice biting. 

“Shane, back off.” Glenn heard Rick say, the man walking forward with his arm outstretched. Shane put his hand up in a back off manner, stalking up toward Daryl and Glenn.

“Listen here, you low life hick. My job here is to keep this camp safe, and your lady has been gettin’ sick nonstop since he got here. I need to know what’s wrong, and what the damn secret is everyone seems to be keepin’ around here.”

“Shane!” Rick yelled, Shane turning back on the man and glaring.

“Ain’t none a your business why my husband is gettin’ sick. Why don’t you mind your own damn business?” Daryl said, glaring right back at Shane. 

“Everythin’ in this camp is my business, especially when it comes to the safety of the people in it. He could’ve gotten every last one a them killed yesterday because of his irresponsibility.” Shane said, not even fazed by the hurt expression Glenn wore on his face.

“You just want to yell at someone for how fucked up yesterday was, me being sick had nothing to do with what happened!” Glenn shouted back, Shane stalking forward out of anger.

“You lay a hand on that boy and you’ll die faster than you can say oops.” Glenn looked up, a small smile tugging at his features. Merle stood behind him, a small gun held in his hands. “Now, clearly ya haven’t heard the whole story, so allow ol’ Merle to fill ya in.” Merle said as Shane backed away, Rick backing down from his protective stance. 

“Your lil buddy over there decided it would be lots a fun to have target practice in the middle of a horde ya see. Only reason Officer Friendly’s even alive is ‘cus a Glenn. Guy almost got us all killed. Wanna blame someone? Blame your friend.” Merle said, hands turning the gun over in his hands, staring at it in wrapped interest. “If you come at the boy again, pop.” Merle said with a smile, fake shooting the gun at Shane. 

“I just wanna know what’s so bad that y’all gotta keep it a secret. We’re all tryna survive here. Hell, I might even be able to help if ya just told me.” Shane said sighing, hand rubbing over the back of his head. Glenn sighed, stepping forward. The Korean could feel his husband try to hold him back, but he walked forward anyway. 

“I’m pregnant.” Glenn said simply, the remaining people left in the camp’s eyes widening in shock at the revelation. “Found out before the world went to shit, doctor that specialized in this was going to help get me on a better diet and some medication for my blood pressure before he got bit by one of his patients. Didn’t even know what happened to him until a week later when the world ended.” Glenn finished, smiling lightly at Rick’s small thumbs up. Glenn knew he probably should have told Rick that he knew about his blood pressure situation, but thinking back on it, he was too out of it to properly give it a thought. 

“That why you been givin’ ‘im your portions, Dixon?” Shane asked, arms crossed over his chest. Daryl nodded in response.

“I figured that’s what was up.” Shane said, and Glenn was very aware of that fact. He didn’t forget Shane’s observation when it came to Glenn’s unconscious habit of rubbing his stomach. He didn’t seem too happy then, in fact, he seemed almost like he was going to use that as a reason to practically expel him from the group. Deeming him a liability. Guess having two angry Dixon’s on his side really did count for something. “I’ll make sure ya get an extra servin’ at dinner, give you more water.” Shane said, Rick clapping the man lightly on the back. Glenn nodded his head in thanks, Shane breathing in deeply as he walked away. 

“Sorry about that.” Rick said walking up to him. “He gets a temper. Got on me one time because he thought I took one a his shirts in high school.” Glenn chuckled lightly at that, sighing in relief. That had gone a lot better than he thought it would, but it really wasn’t the way he wanted to let the rest of the camp know he was pregnant. In fact, he could’ve gone the rest of his life without them even knowing at all. 

“It’s alright, just scared me a little.” Glenn said. Rick sighed sadly, placing a hand on his shoulder.

“I know he’s intimidating, but he would never lay a hand on you. I promise. He may get angry, bit crazy, but he will never hurt you.” Rick said, and Glenn nodded in response. Rick looked back up at the other Dixon’s, his eyes catching Daryl’s momentarily.

“Who are you then?” Daryl asked, coming to stand in front of him. 

“Rick Grimes.” Rick said, holding his hand out for Daryl to shake. Rick hoped he made a better impression on Daryl than he had on Merle. In response, Daryl spit in his hand, clapping the two together in a firm handshake.

“Daryl Dixon, pleasure to meet the man that almost got my husband killed.” Daryl said. Rick pulled his hand back, shaking the spit off and wiping the rest on his jeans. So much for that. 

“I’m really sorry about that. I really didn’t mean to cause all that.” Rick said, Daryl scoffing in response. 

“I’m sure.” Daryl said, nodding back to the man. “C’mon, Glenn, let’s cook these up.” Daryl turned back toward the squirrels still lying at his feet, Glenn sending Rick back a small smile as he joined Daryl at the fire. Rick smiled lightly at the three, turning back toward his worried wife.

“Thought we did the cookin’, baby brother?” Merle asked, and Daryl shrugged his shoulders. 

“Ya can help. Gon’ teach Glenn somethin’ useful.” Daryl said, demonstrating how to prep the squirrel to be cooked. Merle simply chuckled, sitting himself down and grabbing one of his own to work on. 

______

It was when the group was all settled around the fire eating dinner that all Hell broke loose again. Glenn was sat comfortably between Daryl’s legs, taking tentative bites out of the squirrel in fear the his stomach might rebel again, Merle sat to Daryl’s right. On the other side of Daryl and Glenn was Dale, the older man and Glenn talking excitedly about fixing up cars and RVs and how to do it. Daryl tuned most of it out, content to just listen to his lover’s voice filter through his ears after the two long days not hearing it at all.

“No, that’s a ridiculous idea!” The entire group looked up at Lori’s exclamation. 

“I need to get that bag, Lori.” Rick said, and Glenn thought back to the bag of guns Rick had left sitting on the streets in Atlanta. The Korean groaned at the thought of Rick truly wanting to risk going back there for a stupid bag of guns. They had plenty of weapons, plenty of stuff they could use as weapons. His stance on the matter was only slightly influenced by the fact he knew Rick would want him to come along, Glenn told himself. 

“Why? What is so important in that damn bag?” Lori shouted, the entire group having forgotten their dinner at the exchange. 

“Rick, I don’t entirely understand your reasoning, but we need ya here. That walker coulda brought some friends for all we know, and we need every able body we got.” Shane said.

“It seems to me what you really need here is more guns.” Rick said, setting his food down and standing up. Shane stood up behind him, coming to stand face to face with the other man.

“How many guns, Rick? How many guns could possibly be in that bag for it to warrant your life?” Shane asked, his hands sat on his hips. 

“Six shotguns, two high-powered rifles, over a dozen handguns. I cleaned out the cage back at the station before I left. I dropped the bag in Atlanta before I got swarmed. It’s just sitting there on the street, waiting to be picked up.” Rick said, Shane’s eyes falling to the ground.

“Ammo?” Shane asked.

“700 rounds, assorted.” Suddenly Lori shot up from her seat, eyes wide and hands shaking as she went to stand in front of her husband.

“You went through Hell to find us. You just got here and you’re just gonna turn around and leave?” Lori asked. Carl looked up from where he had picking at his food, eyes sad as he stared up at his father.

“Dad, I don’t want you to go.” At the sound of the young boy’s voice, Glenn reached back and laced his fingers with Daryl’s.

“To Hell with the guns.” Lori responded. “They’re not worth your life!” Rick walked back over to her, Lori’s face clenched and angry.

“Tell me, make me understand.” Lori said. 

“I owe a debt, to a man I met and his little boy.” Rick said as he stopped in front of his wife, her breathing ragged and uneven. “Lori, if they hadn’t taken me in, I’d have died. It’s because of them that I made it back at all. They said they’d follow me to Atlanta. They’ll walk into the same trap I did if I don’t warn ‘em.”

“What’s stoppin’ you?” Lori asked quietly, shrugging her shoulders questioningly.

“The walkie-talkie, the one in the bag I dropped. He’s got the other one, our plan was to connect when he got closer.” Rick said. Shane sat down on the rim of the jeep, hand rubbing against his face. 

“These our walkies?” Shane asked.

“Yeah.” Rick responded. 

“So use the CB what’s wrong with that?” Andrea suddenly interrupted, all eyes turning back toward her. 

“CB’s fine it’s the walkies that suck to crap. Date back to the 70s, don’t match any of the bandwidth, not even the scanners in our cars.” Shane responded. 

“I need that bag.” Rick said, begging for Lori to understand his position. Lori looked down at her feet, sighing as she came to accept it.

“Not alone.” She finally spoke up, Rick’s eyes immediately traveling to the camp. 

“I’ll go.” T-Dog spoke up. “Figure we can make it outta what we just did we can get through anythin’.” Rick nodded in thanks, eyes traveling over until his eyes locked with Glenn’s. 

“Aw, come on, man.” Glenn said exasperated. 

“Hell nah, over my dead body.” Daryl spoke up. Rick sighed, coming to walk over to where the group of Dixon’s sat. 

“Please, you’re the only person that can get through those streets with even a fraction of a clue what you’re doin’.” Rick said, kneeling down in front of Glenn. 

“Don’t think you heard me.” Daryl said. “I said Hell no.” Rick looked up into Daryl’s eyes pleadingly. Glenn knew that he was the only one that would be able to strategize the way to get that bag back without getting eaten in the process. 

“I’ll go.” Merle spoke up, finishing off the last of his squirrel and smirking lightly at the officer. Rick internally groaned, not loving the thought of another trip with Merle. 

“Daryl, I need to go.” Glenn said, sighing in defeat. He really didn’t want to go back to Atlanta after all that happened there the last time, especially for something so ridiculous, but he didn’t want one of them to die because they weren’t aware of an alleyway he knew of. 

“Glenn,” Daryl began, Glenn shaking his head before he could finish. “Fine, I’m comin’ too. Last time he was left with you shit hit the fan apparently.” Daryl responded. Rick nodded in thanks, getting back up to walk toward the main part of the camp. “Finish that, we’re not gettin’ up ‘til you eat everythin’.” Daryl said, motioning at Glenn’s hardly touched dinner. The younger nodded, Daryl placing a soft kiss to the back of Glenn’s head.

“I love you.” Glenn said suddenly, feeling bad about putting Daryl in such a predicament. Glenn knew he’d be more than upset if Daryl tried to go on another run if the situation were the other way around. 

“Love you more.” Daryl whispered, arms wrapping protectively around Glenn’s small frame. Rick came back a few minutes later with T-Dog in tow. “Told Glenn he wasn’t goin’ nowhere ‘til he finished his dinner.” Daryl said at the questioning looks he got from the two. 

“Gotta momma hen that boy.” Merle chuckled, earning a well deserved side glare from Daryl. 

“Don’ wan’ him gettin’ sick again.” Daryl responded simply. Rick nodded in understanding, going to start the car and wait for Glenn to finish. 

“Damn, Darleena. You’re bein’ all nice to the newbies. What happened?” Merle scoffed, clearly annoyed by Daryl’s attitude toward the others.  
“None a your business.” Daryl rolled his eyes, grateful when Merle angrily lifted himself up and stalked off toward the truck.

“You are being nice. I kinda like it.” Glenn smirked up at him. Daryl rolled his eyes again.

“Eat.” Daryl responded simply, Glenn smiling as he placed the last piece of squirrel in his mouth. Once all of his food was finished off, the two of them lifted themselves up from the campfire, stalking forward to reach the rest of the group. Rick nodded at the two, both of them hopping up into the bed of the truck. 

“Ready?” Rick asked the three Dixon, eyes trailing momentarily to where T-Dog sat in the front.

“Let’s go.” T-Dog responded, and Rick nodded, pulling out onto the road leading out of the quarry. 

_____

It didn’t take long before Glenn began to feel nauseous from the constant shaking of the truck. His face quickly became buried in his knees, a deep breath filtering through his lips as he attempted to quell the sickness.

“You alright?” Daryl asked worriedly, his hand rubbing comfortingly up and down the younger man’s back.

“Motion sickness. Sorry.” Glenn responded, noticing the way Merle rolled his eyes at his complaining. Now that he wasn’t passing out on the ground, Merle was back to finding his sickness more an annoyance than a genuine cause for concern it seemed. 

“S’alright. C’mere.” Daryl said, pulling for Glenn to sit in between his legs. Glenn did as he was told, laying back against his husband’s muscled chest. Daryl quickly placed his hand onto Glenn’s stomach, rubbing light, soothing circles over it. The older man knew it was one of the only ways to help when Glenn got super car sick, even before he was pregnant. Glenn sighed appreciatively, eyes closing as the sickness fell to the back of his mind. 

“What’s a matter lil lady? Can’t handle a little drive?” Merle bit, Daryl giving him the finger in response. 

“What’s a matter, Merle? Like the sight a your ass so much ya gotta keep your head up it?” T-Dog asked, annoyed by the older Dixon’s behaviour. He prefered the man’s presence much more when he pretended he had a heart. 

“Watch it, Blackie.” Merle responded, T-Dog growling back in response. Not too long after, the truck stopped, Rick looking back toward the others.  
“Glenn?” Rick asked, Glenn opening his eyes to look up at the man. “Think we should walk from here?” Glenn lifted himself out of his husband’s arms, taking in the sight of the city before him. They were just on the outskirts, a perfect place to leave the car to avoid walkers getting to it.

“Yeah, let’s go.”


	4. Vatos

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They really weren’t going to give Glenn back to them without the bag of guns. “Guess it’s up to you. The Asian and the kid, or the bag of guns.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My God, the writers block. I'm sorry if this chapter seems all over the place, but I quite literally spent the last couple months just trying to get through this episode. I had a hard time finding places to actually change the plot of this chapter. Hopefully it suffices! This story will hopefully go back to being updated in a reasonable amount of time.

“We need a place to plan out what we’re going to do.” Glenn said, the group walking slowly through the abandoned streets of Atlanta. Glenn was shocked by the absence of the walkers usually prowling around the outskirt of the city. Typically he would see at least one or two, a small enough number he could easily slip away without them noticing, but it seemed like their lure the walkers with the car alarm trick worked much better than they originally thought. 

 

“Think we could use the department store again?” Rick asked, eyes trailing curiously over his surroundings.

 

“I’m not sure, really. If we managed to lure away most of the walkers from the area, I don’t see why not. I mean, look at this place.” Glenn said, motioning out toward the empty streets. “There’s nothing here.” 

 

“That not normal then?” Rick asked as they made their way forward, destination set as their footsteps echoed in the quiet around them. 

 

“No, usually see at least a couple walkers per street down this way.” Glenn responded. Rick nodded, eyes raking over abandoned cars and shattered windows. They spent the rest of the walk in relative silence, Glenn’s hip pressed lightly against Daryl’s as they walked. The Korean did not like coming into the city no matter how many times he did so, and the feeling was especially worse after his last experience there. Daryl had his hand placed solidly on Glenn’s back, eyes scrutinizing and aware as they walked through the eerily empty streets. 

 

“Looks empty.” T-Dog spoke up suddenly, looking back at the other four in the group. Glenn was shocked to see the entire street the department store had been on completely empty save for a few lingering walkers. Glenn’s hand traveled nervously to Daryl’s, mind racing at the sight. There was no way they had lead this many walkers away with that car alarm. Where did they all go? 

 

“This doesn’t feel right.” Glenn whispered, the others looking back at him in confusion. “There was an entire horde here. I can’t believe we lead them all away.” Rick looked down in contemplation.

 

“Well let’s get inside before they decide to come back.” Daryl responded, pushing Glenn forward.

 

_____

 

“You’re not doin’ this alone.” Rick said, waving his hand in a dismissive manner. The group had settled themselves in a small office just outside the roof of the department store, their original plans having been trashed by the remainder of three or four walkers roaming around the main level of the store. Daryl had dispatched the problem quickly, the group running up the stairs and through the lone door leading to the office areas and break rooms. 

 

“Yeah, no fuckin’ way. I didn’t even want ya comin’ out here, no way I’m lettin’ ya run out there by yourself.” Daryl said, bending over to place his hands on his knees. Glenn shook his head in annoyance, lifting his head up from where it had once been stuck staring at the dirtied floor. 

 

“It’s a good idea, okay. If you just hear me out.” Glenn said. Rick stared down at him in exasperation, kneeling down until he was eye level with where Glenn sat. Wasn’t this the whole reason Rick had wanted him to come in the first place? So he could come up with a plan that would work so they could get the bag and get out fast? 

 

“If we go in a group, we’re slow. Drawing attention. If I’m alone, I can move fast.” Glenn looked pleadingly up at the other members of the group, each one staring back at him in apprehension. The Korean sighed audibly, lifting himself up from where he had been sat against the lone desk in the room. 

 

“Look.” He said, settling himself on his knees in front of the simple map he’d drawn of the buildings around both them, and the bag of guns. Lifting up a clip and balled up post-it note, he placed the clip down in the center of all the buildings. “That’s the tank. 5 blocks from where we are now.” Once he had the tank’s position laid out, he placed the balled up post it to the right of the clip. “That’s the bag of guns. Here’s the alley I dragged you into when we first met. That’s where Daryl and I will go.” Glenn said, pointing a street over from where he laid out the guns and the tank. Daryl looked back at him skeptically, hand tapping on his knees in apprehension. Glenn felt awful about putting his husband in this sort of situation, but if they were going to get that bag, this was how they had to do it. 

 

“Makes sense. His crossbow it quieter than Rick’s shoot out show of a gun.” T-Dog added, rolling his eyes as he thought about their last experience in the city. Rick sighed, shaking his head. 

 

“Yeah.” Glenn whispered, eyes staring into Daryl’s own. He could only hope he could convey the real reason he wanted Daryl waiting for him in the alley. Daryl was safe; Glenn knew that once he got back to that alley everything would be fine. No loud gunshots, no foul mouthed comments. “While Daryl waits here in the alley, I run up the street, grab the bag.” Glenn finished, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he stared up at the others. 

 

“You got us elsewhere?” Rick asked, looking up from the map to catch Glenn’s eyes. T-Dog looked up from where his face had fallen to look down at the group, head turning quickly to look at Glenn as well.

 

“You, Merle, and T-Dog,” Glenn began, lifting an eraser up and placing it down where he wanted the other three to stand. “You’ll be in this alley here.”

 

“Two blocks away, why?” Rick asked curiously. Glenn really wished they would just take his word for it. The whole thing could have been done ten times over had they all not incessantly asked him questions. 

 

“I may not be able to come back the same way.” Glenn responded, eyes trailing up to stare into Daryl’s own. The older man’s entire face gave away his distaste for the plan, but to Glenn’s shock, he didn’t have the disappointed look Glenn expected him to have. He looked scared, terrified, his hands clenching his jeans hard enough his knuckles were pale white. Even Merle looked apprehensive, and with a shock, Glenn realized Merle hadn’t said a word the entire time he’d been laying out the plan for the rest of the group. Hell, Merle hadn’t even moved. “Daryl?” Glenn asked as Daryl’s hands began to shake where they sat practically glued to his pants. 

 

“I can’t let you do this.” Daryl said, his voice broken, breathless. “No, I can hardly handle ya goin’ into this God forsaken town in the first place!” Daryl’s voice was shaking, and Glenn shot up from where he’d sat himself. That for sure wasn’t the first time Glenn had seen Daryl work himself up like that, but it was probably the first that Glenn himself had been the cause. 

 

“Daryl, shh.” Glenn said, rubbing his hands up and down Daryl’s arms. The older man had his face all the way down toward the ground, refusing to meet Glenn’s eyes. Glenn couldn’t stand to see his husband in such a state, rocking side to side, breathing ragged, head shaking in a way one would if they were trying to wake up from a nightmare. “Daryl, love, look at me.” Glenn begged, his hands cupping Daryl’s face gently. 

 

“This isn’t right.” Daryl whispered, Glenn straining to hear him. “I have a real bad feelin’, okay?” Daryl finally looked up into Glenn’s eyes, the older man’s blue irises glassy with unshed tears. Glenn seriously messed up, and he couldn’t imagine how to fix it. 

 

“You’ll be right there, just down the street.” Glenn said, resting his forehead against Daryl’s own. “I swear, Daryl, if anything happens I’ll come right back to you.” Glenn said, eyes pleading as Daryl stared back at him. 

 

“You best not take long.” Daryl breathed out, and Glenn knew that he only agreed because he truly believed he didn’t have any other choice in the matter. Part of Glenn didn’t know if he would’ve handed the job off to another person had Daryl continued to insist, no matter how bad of an idea it would have been. Glenn thought idly how much he would hate Daryl had the other man decided to do the exact thing Glenn was insistent upon doing. “Glenn?” Daryl asked, this time well calloused fingers lifting the Asian’s chin up so they were staring eye to eye.

 

“I’m sorry.” Glenn said, shaking his head. Daryl wrapped his arms tightly around Glenn’s waist, Glenn’s going easily over Daryl’s shoulders. “I just-”

 

“No, I get it.” Daryl whispered, placing a comforting kiss on Glenn’s temple. “I get it. I just don’ want ya gettin’ hurt. Least you’re not here by yourself.” Daryl’s eyes trailed momentarily to Rick, the sheriff bending over as guilt washed over him. 

 

“I love you.” Glenn said, placing a soft kiss on Daryl’s lips. 

 

“Love you, too.” Daryl responded, hugging the younger man to him one last time. “Let’s go get that bag.” The group smiled at the couple, T-Dog falling behind as the others made their way toward the doors.

 

“Hold up,” T-Dog suddenly said, the others looking back in confusion. “What’d you do before this, kid?” Glenn smirked, eyes trailing knowingly to Daryl’s own. 

 

“Delivered pizzas.” Rick and T-Dog shrugged in response, the other man jogging to join up with the others. 

 

_______

 

Daryl and Glenn ran swiftly over the many roofs and walkways that Glenn had traversed on his last trip to the city, that time with a lot less dramatic flair as Glenn’s stomach continued to hold its own throughout the day. The Korean was almost surprised how decent he felt after such an awful past two days, especially considering how it took nearly a week for him to recover the first time he’d gotten as sick as he had before. Maybe it was best he didn’t allow his thoughts to trail in that direction, he was known to create shitty scenarios just by imagining them. 

 

“You feelin’ okay?” Daryl asked. Glenn nearly chuckled. Daryl always seemed to know exactly where his mind was every time he was lost in thought. 

 

“Shockingly, yes.” Glenn responded, coming up to the yellow ladder that would take them down into the alley. “I felt kinda bad earlier, but I feel completely fine now.” Daryl nodded, his face still twisted slightly in worry. 

 

“Lil nervous. Usually takes ya at least a couple days a good rest and pumpin’ salt into ya before ya get well enough to walk, let alone run around like this.” Daryl said, grasping Glenn’s hand in his own. “If ya feel like you’re gonna crash ya come right back to me, kay?” Daryl asked, and Glenn nodded in agreement. The Asian knew that regardless of whether he wanted to or not, if he felt as bad as he did yesterday, he’d have to turn back. He didn’t have a death wish. 

 

“I will, I promise.” Glenn said, kissing Daryl solidly on the lips. “Let’s go.” Daryl nodded in response, Glenn hopping over the edge of the roof and making his way down the ladder first. Once the two finally made it to the bottom of the ladder, Glenn began to feel anxiety grip him in a vice like grip, his heart pounding and stomach beginning to ache in response. Well, he wasn’t dizzy, that was a start. 

 

“Glenn?” Daryl said quietly, wrapping his arms around the younger’s shoulders. 

 

“Nervous. I don’t like doing stuff like this.” Glenn knew he probably should’ve been more honest with Daryl about his feelings on the matter in the first place, but now, he couldn’t hold in the undeniable facts of the situation. He didn’t want to do this, he was scared. Just because it was a better idea didn’t mean it was one he found easy or enjoyable whatsoever. 

 

“I know, sweetheart.” Daryl said, laying his head atop Glenn’s. “Didn’ think ya did.” Glenn sighed, smiling up at Daryl. Glenn had always wished for a person that knew him inside and out, maybe even a bit better than he knew himself. He grew up on sappy romance dramas, and there was something appealing about someone being super well attuned to you and your thoughts. 

 

“Better get this over with.” Glenn said, staring out at the silhouette's of the last lingering walkers on the street. Daryl nodded, his left hand trailing down until it rested on Glenn’s abdomen. Glenn stared down at Daryl’s slightly muddied hand as it circled soothingly over the taut flesh. 

 

“Be careful.” Daryl said, and Glenn nodded. The two ran the last stretch of the alleyway, Glenn giving one last look at Daryl before he bolted out into the street. Glenn ran with bent knees, shoes scraping as quietly as he could manage against the course concrete below his feet. Every once in awhile he’d pause, hiding for a moment behind abandoned cars and other such items left sprawled down the once bustling area. There still were very few walkers, but even one could prove to be a bit too much in his attempt to get the bag and make it back to Daryl at the same time. He could outrun a few, but he didn’t want to have to. With that in mind, he was careful, stopping behind a car as a walker slowly trudged forward, Glenn only running again once the walker was far enough away he could make a run for a piece of the barrier made to try and keep the walkers at bay. 

 

Glenn hopped over the metal gate, careful not to land directly on his stomach as he pushed himself back up. He was aware that a few walkers were now aware of his presence, the snarling around him becoming more insistent. Glenn ran without a thought to the walkers around him, grabbing the bag of guns and turning to run back toward the alley he had left Daryl.

 

“Oh, come on.” Glenn grumbled to himself as he spun back around, lifting the sheriff’s hat off the ground. He couldn’t believe himself sometimes. First he saves a random guy from a horde of walkers, now Glenn’s out in walker infested waters picking up the guy’s hat. Glenn turned back around, eyes blown wide as he took in the large amount of walkers now coming toward him. Glenn whined in fear as he ran forward, mind only focused on getting back to Daryl. He had to make it back to Daryl. 

 

“Ayudame!” Glenn heard an unfamiliar voice shout, his heart seizing as he realized the sound was coming in the same direction Daryl was still sat. His feet carried him quickly, the Asian almost tripping as he made it passed the gate and into the alley. The sight he was met with was surely not one Glenn had been expecting. On the ground getting beaten by two men he’d never seen before was Daryl, a lanky teenager whining on the ground next to the older man. Glenn was frozen, fear coursing through his veins as he watched the two men lay punches down rhythmically on Daryl, one even taking it so far as to beat him roughly with a bat.

 

“That’s it! That’s the bag!” The man with the bat yelled, the one that had been beating his husband now turned on him. “Vato, take it!” The man yelled. 

 

“Glenn, run!” Daryl screamed to him, Glenn watching as the other man hit him once more with his metal bat. Glenn turned back around, feet carrying him only a few feet before the other man punched him square in the back of the head, a painful scream escaping his lips as he fell to the ground. With a sickening feeling, he felt a distinct pain as metal hit his back, his hands letting go of the bag and hat to protectively wound their way around his stomach. Just as Glenn felt as if he truly might black out from the sheer terror the situation was causing, he heard the sound of Daryl’s crossbow firing, the man behind him screaming in agony as one of his husband’s arrows hit him. 

 

“Get off me!” Glenn screamed as he was lifted off the ground, the man with the bat using Glenn as protection from Daryl’s arrows. The man began to back up, pulling Glenn along with him. “Get off me!” He begged, thrashing violently in a meager attempt to get free. The man had to be at least ten times stronger than Glenn himself, his bat pressed uncomfortably into Glenn’s ribs as they continued to back up. 

 

“Daryl!” He screamed, Daryl lifting himself off the ground to run after them. “Daryl! Daryl!” He screamed as he was loaded into a car filled with people he’d never met, people who had hurt him and his husband; people who felt no remorse as they drove him away, Glenn only privilege to the sight of Daryl slamming himself into the now walker infested gate leading from the alley into the street. 

 

_______

 

Daryl’s world spun as he screamed, pulling tightly on the gate in a desperate attempt to keep the rest of the walkers from getting into the alleyway. They took Glenn. His mind threw the phrase around a million times, each one causing his head to erupt in agony and his stomach twist in guilt. They took Glenn right in front of him, and he couldn’t help him. He couldn’t help the only thing left in his world that mattered. Daryl was supposed to be the one person Glenn could always count on to save him if shit hit the fan, and he let two men run off with him in the back seat of their car. 

 

Anger began to fill him as the realization that he couldn’t help Glenn consumed his every thought, every molecule of his being. Without a thought, Daryl spun himself around with a cry, shoving the skinny, lanky son of a bitch that caused all of it in the first place against the concrete wall behind him. Daryl was seeing red as he went to hit the kid with the butt of his crossbow, the only thing keeping him from smashing the younger’s face in was Rick’s sudden interruption. 

 

“Woah, woah, woah!” Rick screamed as he pushed Daryl back from the younger, T-Dog pressing the kid lightly against the wall in a less than complicated attempt to keep him from moving. “Stop it!” 

 

“I’m gonna kick your nuts up in your throat!” Daryl screamed, Rick’s hold now only doubled by Merle’s. T-Dog’s face was the picture of confusion as he held the squirming kid against the wall, the younger screaming to be let go as Daryl continued to shove and thrash in a desperate attempt to get to him. 

 

“They took Glenn!” Daryl screamed, Merle’s hold on him suddenly far less strong than it had been a second prior. “That little bastard and his little bastard homie friends! I’m gonna stomp your ass!” Rick’s hold on Daryl suddenly fell flat then as well, the two holding him back now looking shocked and confused up at the teen. There was still enough of a hold on Daryl to keep him standing where they’d dragged him closer to the fence, but there was now also enough leeway where Daryl could get free if he wanted. 

 

“Guys!” T-Dog suddenly shouted, the remaining five in the alley all turning back toward where T-Dog was pointing. Daryl nearly cried as his eyes connected with those of all the walkers pressing themselves against the fence, the only obstacle he’d truly had in getting to Glenn before they took off with him. “We’re cut off.”

 

“Get to the ladder, go!” Rick yelled. T-Dog nodded in response, dragging the kid back to the yellow structure in front of them. Daryl could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest, his breathing coming in short, shallow breaths. What would they do to him? What would they do to their baby? What did they even want the kid for? They had merely gone after Glenn because he was carry the bag of guns, and with an annoyed grunt, he realized they hadn’t even taken the bag of guns with them as they escaped. They had merely taken Glenn as a way of protection from Daryl’s arrows, and the realization made him sick. It was his fault.

 

“Come on, baby brother. Let’s get back!” Merle shouted, softly grabbing Daryl’s arm and leading him back toward the ladder. 

 

______

 

“Those men you were with, we need to know where they went.” Rick said, bending down enough he was eye level with the kid. They’d brought him back to where they’d originally planned out what they were going to do to retrieve the bag of guns, hoping that he wouldn’t be as much of an asshole Daryl knew he was. There was no way the kid was going to tell them anything. He didn’t know them, all he knew was they were on opposing sides. These days, that’s all that mattered when it came to judgement calls. 

 

“I ain’t tellin’ ya nothin’.” The kid responded.

 

“Jesus, man, what the Hell happened back there?” T-Dog asked, his voice tired and annoyed. It was clear that everyone just wanted to have a better understanding of what went down in the alley, but there was no other way Daryl could explain it. They had taken Glenn, there was nothing more to it. They wanted that fucked up bag of guns, and instead of taking it, they took his husband. 

 

“I told you. This little turd and his douchebag friends came outta nowhere and jumped me.” Daryl responded, pacing restlessly around the room. Clearly they wanted to know more than what happened to Glenn, despite the fact that was the only part of the entire thing that truly mattered. 

 

“Man, you’re the one that jumped me, puto.” The kid bit back. Daryl groaned, turning on the other in a flash. Rick held his hand out in an attempt to hold Daryl back, but the older man had no intention of going after him in the first place.

 

“Listen, I don’ give two shits what it is y’all want. Take the fuckin’ bag for all I care, I wan’ my husband back, you little shit.” Daryl bit, a tinge of sadness and desperation clinging to his voice. Merle placed a delicate hand on his back, shocking Daryl enough that he looked back over toward his brother. There was no trace of his usual Merle malice. He simply looked like he wanted to comfort his younger brother, and that was enough to have Daryl’s heart seizing up in his chest. 

 

“Your husband? Didn’t know you were a couple a fags to go along with it.” Daryl saw red as he shot out of Rick’s grasp, anger coursing through his veins as he lashed out at the kid still sitting in the chair. Rick and Merle ran at him, grabbing Daryl tightly and pulling him back. 

 

“Damn it, Daryl. Back off!” Rick shouted, handing Daryl off to Merle. Daryl struggled, shoving at his brother harsh and calculated in a feeble attempt to get free. Every place Daryl had originally found always worked break Merle’s hold didn’t work no matter what he tried, soft whines escaping his lips as he remained trapped against his brother’s muscled chest.

 

“Calm down, brother.” Merle whispered, his hold not once relenting despite the kicks and punches he took. Not long after Daryl managed to catch his breath, breathing in deeply in a desperate attempt to calm down. Glenn’s voice filtered through his head, all the times he’d ever comforted the younger man when he was thrown into an anxiety or anger filled fit. Daryl could hear the way Glenn would shush him, tell him he was alright. “You okay?” Merle asked, and Daryl nodded yes. He meant it too, which shocked him quite a bit.

 

Daryl sighed as Rick stared back at him in worry, a small nod sent the sheriff’s way to let him know he was calm again. Rick nodded back, walking slowly toward where the kid still sat wide eyed in the chair. The older bent down to look into his eyes, hand swiping against his mouth as he contemplated what to say. “The men you were with took our friend. I know you’re clearly not on board with their relationship, but, the guy you took is pregnant. He gets sick when he’s under too much stress, and I can only imagine what he’s feeling right now.” Rick said, and Daryl was shocked to see the younger’s eyes lower in guilt at the admission. “I don’t know about you, but my moral code doesn’t even come close to allowing a child come to harm. We just want to talk to them, see if we can work somethin’ out.” Rick finished, the kid’s frame shaking slightly as he weighed his options. 

 

“How do I know you ain’t lying?” The kid asked, eyes trailing to Daryl’s own. The older man pulled himself fully away from Merle, walking over to where he’d left his bag of supplies sitting on the ground near the chair the kid sat in. Bending down, Daryl unzipped the pack carefully, sifting through it for a moment before pulling out a nearly empty wallet. The room was quiet as Daryl walked slowly over to the teen, a soft sigh escaping his lips as he opened the wallet up, staring at what was inside for a moment. 

 

“Don’ know what else I could show ya.” Daryl said, showing the kid a picture of Glenn’s first ultrasound. The younger sighed audibly, head falling into his hands in guilt. 

 

“They didn’t know.” The kid said, and Daryl had to scoff at that. Who cares if they knew or not?

 

“Will you take us to them?” Rick asked again. The kid’s eyes flicked momentarily back to the ultrasound before he nodded his head in agreement.   
  


______

 

The walk was torturous. Daryl’s heart had long ago held to its seized anxiety. The older man was hardly able to breathe as they traversed the empty city, Merle and Rick holding the kid firmly in their grasp. Daryl wasn’t quite sure what he would do if they showed up to find his husband with so much a single scratch on him, but that day might just be the last one the bitches would ever see. Hell, it might be the last day for anyone that tried to stop him from tearing the entire group apart.

 

“We’re almost there.” Daryl heard the kid say. T-Dog’s downcast gaze finally flitted up toward the remainder of the group, fists clenching next to him. Daryl watched the other man curiously. He and Daryl never got along particularly well, to say the least. Glenn might have said hi to the other man once or twice, but otherwise, their relationship hardly stemmed farther than glares and telling Merle to shut his mouth when he took his comments too far. Therefore, Daryl was confused as to why T-Dog seemed so bothered by the fact Glenn had been taken.

 

After all, Daryl himself knew no one would have gave a shit about him had he been in the same predicament. 

 

There was something about Glenn that made everyone want to look out for him. He was innocent still. He smiled openly, laughed genuinely. He was Daryl’s unbreakable tie to the sanity he left behind in their ratty apartment in Atlanta. Glenn even managed to get under Merle’s hardened, rough skin. No matter how much the older Dixon would deny it, Daryl knew his brother held as much worry for the younger man as Daryl himself did. It made sense with that line of thinking why Rick and T-Dog were so intent on helping get Glenn back.

 

“Look alive, Dixon.” Daryl’s head shot up at the sound of T-Dog’s voice. The group all came to a halt as they came upon a brick building, windows blown out and covered with cut up wire. Daryl could only imagine what took place in the destroyed, tattered building, though; he didn’t exact feel like dreaming up a scenario. The group began to move again, Rick kneeling and looking carefully through one of the old windows.    
  


“You sure you’re up for this?” Rick asked, eyes meeting T-Dog’s own. The other man nodded. Daryl’s teeth clenched as Rick loaded his gun, T-Dog grabbing his and sprinting off toward the upper floor of the building. 

 

“One wrong move, you get an arrow in the ass.” Daryl bit, voice more sure than it had been since the whole scenario began. Merle chuckled in response, posture tall and menacing. Daryl knew his brother would back him regardless. Merle never turned down a good fight. “Just so you know.”

 

“G’s going to take that arrow out of my ass, and put it in yours.” The kid responded. “Just so you know.” Merle snarled in response, Rick quickly putting a hand in front of the other man to keep him calm. 

 

“G?” Rick asked, hand trailing back down to his side once he was sure Merle was backing down.

 

“Guillermo.” The kid responded, shrugging his shoulders. “He the man here.”

 

“Okay then,” Rick finished loading his gun then, attention turned back to Daryl and Merle standing behind him. “Let’s go see Guillermo.” 

 

The four of them made their way through the shattered window, Merle shoving the kid forward roughly as he began to take his time doing so. The younger glared back at him, stalking forward angrily until all four of them were stood in front of two large doors. 

 

One of the worst things about Daryl’s relationship with Glenn, was Daryl’s ability to feel genuine fear. When he was with Merle and his father, Daryl had come to accept the constant torment as a way of life. Nothing was out of place when his father would give him a slash with his whip, or when Merle would threaten to drown him in the bathtub for being too loud while he had his ladies over. It was simply another thing to roll his eyes at and grumble about to himself. 

 

With Glenn, fear wasn’t a constant state of being. He learned to live without it; and right now, Daryl wished he could live in that state of denial again.    
  
He didn’t know what they’d find on the other side of those doors. It was completely uncharted waters. Considering they took Glenn in the first place, it was apparent their moral standings were lower than Daryl wanted to admit. For all he knew, they killed Glenn the second they walked through those doors. 

 

_ Or he’s fine. _ Glenn’s voice filtered through his head again. Daryl breathed in deeply, his knuckles white as he clutched to his crossbow. Optimism was hard to come by even with that constant reassuring voice. 

 

“Merle,” Rick’s voice pulled Daryl from his daydreaming, attention now focused on the two men standing to the left of him. “Go on up, opposite side of T-Dog. Figure you’re as good a shot as any.” Merle nodded his head in response, giving the kid one last snarl before making his way up to where he was instructed. Daryl took one more shaky breath as the latch on the door in front of them released, out walking three short, Hispanic men. The two on the left were armed, sites and barrells locked on the two men standing side by side the younger kid in front of them. The man in the middle, clad in raggedy blue jeans and a plaid shirt, walked up to them with a disappointed scowl. 

 

“You okay, little man?” Guillermo asked. The younger looked down at his feet, nodded silently in response. “Tell me what’s wrong, Miguelito.” 

 

“Estaba embarazado.” Miguel whispered, gaze locked on the rocks lying below his feet. Guillermo’s face twisted suddenly, doubt clouding his vision as he looked up at the two remaining members of the group. 

 

“El asiático?” Guillermo asks, Daryl groaned in frustration. The least the two could do is speak English. 

 

“Sí.” The shorter man nodded his head in response, face hardening as he processed the information given to him.

 

“Who’s he to any of you?” Guillermo questioned. 

 

“He’s my husband.” Daryl spoke up, his voice angry and defiant. He was tired of this whole thing already. There was absolutely no reason to drag the exchange out longer than necessary, and it seemed as if that’s exactly what the other party planned to do. 

 

“Interesting.” Guillermo responded, gaze flicking back toward Rick. “Where’s my bag of guns?” Daryl nearly stumbled back at the question. 

 

“You can’t be serious?” Rick breathed out, noticing immediately how Daryl’s finger rested against his crossbow trigger. 

 

“Did I stutter?” Guillermo asked, taking a slight step forward. Daryl quickly went to aim his crossbow, the only thing stopping him being Rick pressing the weapon back down toward the floor. Daryl’s blood boiled, his heart seized in his chest. They really weren’t going to give Glenn back to them without the bag of guns. “Guess it’s up to you. The Asian and the kid, or the bag of guns.” The man shrugged his shoulders as he spoke, posture challenging and patient. 

 

“Give him the damn bag, Grimes.” Daryl suddenly shouted, crossbow now turned back toward the sheriff. Rick raised his hands up in surrender.

 

“Woah, woah! Calm down!” Rick shouted. Daryl’s gaze went hysterically between Guillermo and Rick, his mind in a frenzy as he attempted to figure out what to do. They could live without those guns, that was the reality. They’d find other ones. They weren’t worth the life of his husband and his child. 

 

“Hell, nah. You’re so stuck on protecting your family with those guns, but you’re willing to let mine die for them?” Daryl bit, his hands shaking as he talked. Guillermo’s group hadn’t budged an inch, content with allowing the other two to handle the dispute on their own. “Sorry, Officer Dumbass, but guns are not worth my family’s life.” 

 

“Those guns could save your family’s life!” Rick suddenly shouted back, voice hysterical and pleading. Daryl scoffed in disbelief, head shaking in anger. 

 

“Do you not hear yourself? They’re going to save my family?” Daryl was thrown aback by the assumption that the items that got them into this mess, were also somehow going to get them out unless they handed them over. “You’re insane, Grimes. The only way they’re going to save my family is if you hand them the fuck over.” Rick grit his teeth as Daryl continued on, hands shaking as the reality of the situation became fully apparent to him. 

 

“I’d die for ‘em.” Daryl suddenly whispered. “And I’d kill anyone that tried to hurt ‘em.” Daryl’s eyes locked dangerously with Rick’s own, a frown set firmly in place on the former sheriff’s face. 

 

“I’m on your side, Daryl.” Rick responded, once again allowing his hands to travel up in submission. Rick turned back toward Guillermo, seething at the content smile growing on the other man’s face.

 

“Guess we’ll see you back here when you got our guns then.” Guillermo said, turning to walk back into the building. 

 

“Hold it!” The entire group turned toward the right, all eyes locking on where Merle stood looking over the people below. “I wanna see ‘im.” Guillermo sighed in aggravation, turning back toward the remainder of his crew still in the building.

 

“Rapido.” He shouted, two men scrambling off through a backdoor. The group waited in silence for several minutes, the still air only interrupted by the sound of a crashing door and sick, tired groans. Daryl turned his face up toward the roof of the building, his stomach dropping as he caught sight of his husband with his hands tied behind his back, his mouth covered in duct tape, and his hair matted down with sweat. He was sick again. Daryl knew it was a bad idea to take Glenn out without giving him the proper time to rest his ailed body again, and that proved his point exactly. Just because he felt fine in one moment, didn’t mean he would later. 

 

“He’s sick!” Daryl shouted, the man shoving Glenn roughly forward in response. “I swear to God, you best make sure he’s alright. You’ll be gettin’ a lot more than just arrows in the ass if he ain’t.” Daryl fumed, his eyes locked with Glenn’s own. Daryl had an easy time reading Glenn’s eyes. What he saw there, shockingly, was not fear. It was confusion. Glenn was  _ confused.  _

 

“I suggest you hurry back.” Guillermo said finally, walking back into the building followed by the original two men he’d arrived with. 

 

_______

 

Glenn was tired, his stomach ached, and all he wanted was to lay down in his own tent and  _ sleep.  _ While the hospital bed was nice and all, it really wasn’t doing much to alleviate the back pain left behind by the bat, nor his constant anxiety and stress plaguing his ever frenzied mind. Daryl had been right about one thing, he shouldn’t have gone out today. If he was being honest with himself, he’d never go out again if he had any say in the matter.   
  
Glenn groaned quietly as nausea swept over him. It was about the time most of the residents in the boarded up senior center took their mid-day naps, and Glenn didn’t want to wake any of them for such a poor reason. 

 

“How you feel, chico?” Glenn’s eyes opened slowly as Guillermo walked into the room, a bowl of soup and glass of water held up by a tray. 

 

“Could be worse.” Glenn responded, allowing the older man to assist him in sitting up. His mind still raced from being dragged out of bed, tied up and thrown onto the roof that afternoon. These people, despite kidnapping him, had been overly nice to him since he’d actually arrived. They weren’t bad people, that much was apparent. Misguided, tainted by the new world, but not bad people. 

 

“Try to eat this. It’ll get your blood sugar back up.” Guillermo said, handing over the bowl of canned chicken soup. Glenn smiled in thanks, taking small bites of the broth. 

 

“Thank you.” Glenn sighed, pleased by the way the warm soup soothed his stomach. Guillermo nodded his head in response. 

 

“Your doc ever have any idea what was wrong?” Guillermo asked suddenly, and Glenn paused in his eating to contemplate the question. 

 

“Male bodies adjust to pregnancy different is all he told me. Said it was pretty common for most to be high risk. Guess I just didn’t hit the lottery.” Glenn shrugged, and Guillermo nodded in response. “Don’t let anyone get hurt.” 

 

“Hopefully that won’t have to happen.” Guillermo whispered back to Glenn, beginning to back out of the small room again. “Your husband’s safe.” With that, the older man walked out of the room. Glenn was hardly sated by the information. He knew when it came to his safety, Daryl was a powerhouse with no off button. How many people could Daryl potentially kill without someone firing a shot back? Glenn groaned softly as pain radiating through his stomach again, his hand trailing down to rub soothing circles over his noticeably bloated abdomen. 

 

To anyone else, it might not seem as if anything had changed at all. Glenn was still about the same weight as he was when they first joined the Quarry camp, but over the last couple days Glenn noticed the subtle changes. He was nearly positive it was far too early for him to begin showing, so he placed the thought at the back of his mind. 

 

Once the pain and nausea settled again, Glenn allowed himself to lay back against the single pillow behind his head. He was tired, and there was nothing he needed more than to sleep. Hopefully, by the time he woke up, this whole mess would fade away and he’d wake back up in the camp. His dreams could be a little crazy sometimes.

 

______   
  


When Glenn awoke again, he felt significantly worse than when he had fallen into his restless sleep. Nausea wracked his entire body, the pain in his back nearly unbearable. Glenn let out a tired groan, a calloused, familiar hand finding its way into his own. The Asian opened his eyes quickly, his whole body seeming to crumble at the sight of Daryl in front of him.

 

“Hey, sweetheart.” Daryl whispered, wrapping his arms gently around the smaller man. Glenn could feel the tears burning in the back of his eyes. All the fear, pain, and confusion he’d felt through the day coming to the surface as Daryl cradled him against his strong chest. “Shh, you’re alright. ‘M here.” Daryl whispered, pressing feather light kisses atop Glenn’s sweaty hair. 

 

“Are you okay?” Glenn cried, voice cracking despite his effort to sound composed. 

 

“Everyone’s fine, baby.” Daryl said, resting his cheek against Glenn’s head. “Guy’s a dumbass.” Glenn chuckled, placing a soft kiss against Daryl’s partially exposed chest. 

 

“Everyone’s here then?” Glenn asked, motioning for Daryl to sit in the bed with him. Daryl lifted Glenn up gently, placing himself down against the right of the bed before helping Glenn adjust against his left side. 

 

“Everyone.” Daryl responded. “We ended up settlin’ on givin’ ‘em half the guns.” Glenn nodded his head, exhaustion sweeping over him again as Daryl trailed his fingers gently over Glenn’s stomach.    
  


“Guys said we could stay ‘til ya felt better. Told ‘em that was a good idea. Don’ think you’d do well goin’ back right now.” Daryl said, and Glenn nodded his head in agreement. The last thing he wanted to do was walk all the way back to the truck, and then ride in the bumpy backseat the rest of the way to the camp.    
  


“‘Ey, Merle?” Daryl shouted, jostling Glenn only slightly from his sleep induced haze. “Can ya ask one a them for water and a rag? He’s runnin’ a fever.” Glenn never heard the answer to the question. He fell asleep easily to the sound of his husband’s voice, his hand trailing soothing lines down his arms, and the knowledge that for one day, everyone lived.


	5. Wildfire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You’re the one in pain, and you’re askin’ me what’s wrong?” Daryl scoffed, amazed at his husband’s ability to be empathetic no matter what the scenario. Glenn was sicker than he’d seen him in all the years they’d been together, and Glenn was worried about him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter to go, guys. This one has been the one I've worked on for the longest, and I really hope you all like it.
> 
> Thank you all for the amazing response this story has gotten. It's the first one I've ever written in English, and the first multi-chaptered fic I'm going to see all the way through. Stick with me!

Glenn was tired of being sick.

He knew from the start that he had a very high risk pregnancy. His body didn’t take well to the new addition, and it showed nearly every day. Blood pressure drops, nausea, temperature fluctuations, and horrible headaches. They were all part of his daily life the first couple weeks, and yet, it could’ve all been fixed. Glenn’s doctor had ordered in a medication to keep his blood pressure under control, and it would’ve arrived the day after his doctor was bit by one of his patients.

It wasn’t far fetched to think God had something against him.

He could feel the sweat soaking through the thin shirt and pants covering his body. His body trembled, teeth clanking together despite the roaring Atlanta heat. He suddenly wished he could forget waking up all together. Just let himself fall back into his fitful attempt at sleep.

“Glenn?” Daryl’s voice broke through his sorry thoughts. Glenn managed to peel his eyes open, gaze resting on Daryl’s worried frown. “Hey, baby.” Daryl ran his fingers gently through Glenn’s hair, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

“Hi.” Glenn croaked. His voice sounded awful; gravely and breathless. Daryl leaned over, grabbing a full glass of water from the bedside table. His strong arm wrapped behind Glenn’s back, lifting him up so he could comfortably drink from the cup. Glenn gulped the water down, his aching throat soothed by the cool liquid.

“I talked to the others. Said they were gon’ look ‘round for blood pressure medicine. ‘Nough old folks here, gotta have somethin’.” Glenn nodded, his tongue swiping across his dry lips.

“Am I going to get better?” The words left his mouth before he had a chance to stop them. He was scared, he needed some sort of reassurance that this wasn’t going to go on forever. It wasn’t normal to be this sick every day, and Glenn knew that. He knew that this was bad. Despite that knowledge, and despite his fear, he still held back the real question he wanted to ask.  _ What if I lose the baby? _

“Of course.” Daryl’s face crumpled, right hand clutching at Glenn’s left. “I’ll make sure of it. I’ll tear apart every last pharmacy in this damn town if it means making you better.” Glenn bit his bottom lip, breaking the eye contact he’d once had with Daryl. He felt  _ awful. _  Physically and mentally. Even with the world collapsing around them, he could feel each individual pillar inside his own mind crumbling with it.

He trusted Daryl with his life. There was no doubt in his mind that Daryl would do everything in his power to make Glenn and their baby better. The question was, what if it wasn’t enough? What if something still went wrong? There was so much uncertainty now, and it was driving Glenn insane. Earlier that day he’d thought he was going to be killed by the people now scrambling trying to help him. He could walk out the door and become a dead person’s midday snack. They could not find the right medication and he loses their baby, or he gets sick enough  _ he  _ dies.

He didn’t notice the tears streaming down his face until Daryl started gently wiping them away. “It’s okay, ‘m here.” Daryl whispered, laying his head down next to Glenn’s.

“It just feels like everything’s happening at once.” Glenn cried, his voice high pitched and so, so sad even to his own ears. Daryl nodded, willing Glenn to speak more. Daryl had always been a good listener when it came to Glenn’s deep rooted problems. “One more day. Just one more.” Daryl pressed a gentle kiss on Glenn’s cheek, his left hand still holding Glenn’s while his right gently ran over the younger’s stomach.

“I know you’re scared, but it’s gon’ be okay.” Daryl whispered. Glenn sobbed, burying his face into his husband’s neck. “I promise, I’ll do everythin’. We’ll be alright.” It could have been hours that the two laid on that bed, Glenn crying desperately into Daryl’s shoulder. The older was quiet, patient, and gentle as he held the smaller man. Running his fingers gently up and down Glenn’s back, soft kisses placed in his hair, quiet reassurances leaving his lips.

Daryl hardly recognized himself anymore, and for the first time, he didn’t care.

He didn’t care if Merle came in shooting fire over how soft he’d become. He didn’t care if he was raised to be hard around the edges, crude and mean. Violent with his words, his fists. That wasn’t who he wanted to be to Glenn, so why would he be okay with being that way to anyone else? Glenn had changed him, and that was okay. He was okay.

“We’re okay.” Daryl breathed out. Glenn wrapped his arms tightly around Daryl’s neck, lip between his teeth again as he willed away the last of his tears. “It’s okay to cry, don’ try to be strong for me.” Daryl said, resting his hand on the back of Glenn’s head, his arm wrapped protectively around his waist. The younger melted into his new hold, a shaky whine escaping his lips as he bended in on himself.

“It hurts.” Glenn cried, arms still locked around Daryl’s neck.

“I know, baby. ‘M sorry, wish I could take the pain away from you.” Daryl pulled Glenn impossibly closer, heart breaking at the pained gasps and sobs wracking the smaller’s body. This couldn’t go on much longer. He’d been in pain for nearly two weeks straight, and there was only so much a man could take. Daryl couldn’t watch Glenn get sick like this anymore, and it was nearing the point that Glenn couldn’t keep getting sick like this anymore.

“Daryl?” Daryl turned to see Rick standing in the doorway, face twisted in a worried frown. Daryl motioned him in.

“I have some medicine for his blood pressure.” Rick said, handing Daryl a half empty prescription bottle. The name on the prescription read  _ Dorris Hart,  _ and Daryl vaguely wondered how long the woman hadn’t been using the pills he now held.

“Thanks.” Daryl whispered, eyes focused on his husband rather than the man he was showing his gratitude. Just because he knew he wanted to be a better person, didn’t mean he had to look people in the eye while he did it. “C’mon, let’s get you sittin’ up so we can get you feelin’ better.” Daryl said, slowly working to pull Glenn’s arms from around his neck. The younger let out a distressed cry, and it took everything in Daryl to keep from pulling him right back into his arms again.

“‘M sorry, I know, but you need to take this.” Daryl said, looking to Rick in a silent plea for help. The sheriff darted over to the other side of the bed, arm holding Glenn up by the shoulders. He was  _ hysterical. _  Rick had never heard cries so broken, so filled with pain. The thought crossed his mind that maybe the blood pressure medicine wouldn’t be enough to soothe the youngest’s physical pain.

“Calm down, look at me.” Daryl whispered, pulling Glenn’s hand up until it was flat against his chest. “Breathe with me, sweetheart.” Daryl was slow as he guided Glenn through their breathing. In five, hold five, out five. He repeated it over and over again until Glenn finally had some color back in his face, his body trembling less and breathing more evened out.

“Alright, now go on ahead and open your mouth for me.” Daryl said, and Glenn obliged. He was weak, his mouth hardly opening at all, but it was enough for Daryl to slip the pill into the Korean’s mouth. Once he had done that, he picked the half full glass of water up from the side table again, allowing Glenn to drink slowly. Once the cup was empty, Daryl and Rick lowered Glenn back down onto the bed gently, the youngest’s eyes drooping closed.

“Go to sleep, I’ll be here.” Daryl whispered. Glenn nodded his head weakly, eyes falling shut. His gaze never left Daryl’s until his eyes were fully closed.

“Daryl?” Rick’s voice was hesitant. Daryl felt his walls crumble, his face falling as he took in the sight of his fitful husband.

“He needs a doctor.” Daryl said, unshed tears choking him. Rick put a careful hand on Daryl’s back, a silent but necessary show of support.

“There’s gotta be someone out there who knows what to do. I mean, doctors, nurses, pharmacy techs, they still exist. We’ll find someone, Daryl.” Rick said, and Daryl nodded his head. Yeah, they still existed somewhere, but how long would it take to play hide and seek to find one? Glenn wasn’t going to hold out on a half empty bottle of blood pressure meds, hardly enough food for just himself, poor sleeping conditions, and very little clean drinking water to go around. No matter what, Glenn’s pregnancy was, and will stay, a high risk one.

They simply weren’t equipped to handle it, and if Glenn and their baby were going to survive, that would have to change. Quickly.

“I just don’ know what to do for ‘im.” Daryl said, rubbing tiredly at his eyes. “He got sick pretty easy before too. Flu, colds, stomach bugs, ya know?” Rick nodded.

“Before I could toss ‘im in the truck and take ‘im to the ER. To a doctor’s office. Now?” Daryl shrugged, rolling his eyes at the absurdity of the situation they’d been thrown into. “Now I gotta watch ‘im suffer. He’s worse than he was then. I don’ even know if it’s just his blood pressure anymore.”

“Daryl, we’ll figure this out.” Rick said, clapping Daryl awkwardly on the back. He’d never been the best at comforting people in the best of moments, but knowing how much Daryl disliked him, it was even harder.

“Hope so.” Daryl shrugged, gaze glued on Glenn’s sleeping face. Rick slowly backed his way out of the room then, not feeling right to intrude on such a moment. Daryl hardly noticed the sheriff leave, and even if he did, he didn’t care. The only thing he cared about was Glenn being able to go one day without collapsing, without having trouble breathing, without throwing up everything he managed to get down.

It was frustrating to know how simple the solution was to their problem. To sit and think that there is a prescription with Glenn’s name on it, trapped in a pharmacy no longer in business. Maybe still in its packaging in the back of a mail truck someone stole to escape the dead. Regardless of its whereabouts, they would never see it, and Glenn would keep on getting sick until they figured out what to do.

Hell, Daryl couldn’t even remember the name of the medication. He’d never been that great of a husband, yet that made him feel like the worst. How could he have not known Glenn’s prescription name? Maybe if Daryl remembered, he’d have been able to spout it off to the bastards that had taken Glenn. Maybe they would’ve known what it was and where to get it. Maybe they had it laying around somewhere.

Tears trickled down his face without his knowledge. Sad, angry tears that he wouldn’t have held back. Life was so aggressive. It seemed to love kicking Daryl in the balls, dropping him to his knees and laughing in his face. Nothing can ever just be okay.

“We’ll fix it.” A rough, gravelly voice called from across the room. Daryl turned back toward the door, eyes widening as he caught his brother’s gaze. It was worried, sad, yet his stance was guarded and daring. He was challenging Daryl, wanting to know if he’d come at him for his vulnerable stare. Daryl didn’t, it was a wonder enough Merle didn’t say anything about him first.

“Dixons don’t give up.” Merle said, staring at Glenn through lidded eyes. His face betrayed no emotion still, yet his eyes were lit up with a fire Daryl had never seen before. Maybe Glenn really did a number on more than just Daryl.

“I know.” Daryl whispered, hand nervously lifting from his lap to rub Glenn’s belly. He’d found himself doing that alot lately. Reassuring himself that their child was still there, still alive. That Glenn was still there. He felt the need to be close to both of them nearly constantly. It was overwhelming. Daryl couldn’t say he knew what it felt like to have separation anxiety, but if it felt like his heart was about to give out every time Glenn was away from him, then maybe he was getting there.

He was so scared he’d turn around and Glenn would be on the ground again. That he wouldn’t wake up.

That he’d come back from hunting and it would be Shane telling him they’d lost their baby.

That something would go wrong that could’ve been avoided had he been there. Had he’d done anything except leave Glenn in the hands of people he hardly knew, let alone trusted. Glenn had never relapsed to such a degree before. Usually, he’d pass out, be sick for a few days, and bounce back for at least three or four days. Of course he’d still be sick, throwing up and woozy, but he had never been in such pain before.

Daryl had  _ never  _ heard Glenn scream like that.

“I blame Officer Friendly.” Merle suddenly spoke. Daryl didn’t look back to his brother. “When ya take care a him, he’s fine the next day. Friendly let ‘im dehydrate, pass out more than once, stuck ‘im in a room where they were beatin’ into a biter.” Merle sounded furious, and Daryl was silently glad that for once, that tone wasn’t directed at him.

“Yeah, don’ think I’m gonna leave ‘im alone with them anymore.” Daryl said. Merle grunted in response.

“Good.” Merle cut the conversation off. Daryl could feel the frustration in the air, but there simply wasn’t anything else he could say on the subject. He was terrified, sick with worry, and he was tired of this whole experience. He was ready to shove the walkers back into pop culture and return to normal life. The one he could get Glenn better now, rather than maybe not at all.

“Hey, we need to be heading back soon.” Rick ducked his head into the room, Merle’s mouth twisting into an angry snarl. Daryl sighed, running his thumb lightly over the back of Glenn’s hand.

“He’s not gonna make it if we keep doin’ this.” Daryl said. Rick looked down.

“I’m sorry. I should have never brought him out here. I know that, but we need to get back to our group.” Rick said, voice thick with guilt. Daryl and Merle shared a look, both of them rolling their eyes as Daryl lifted himself up from the side of the bed.

“I ain’t wakin’ ‘im up.” Daryl said at Rick’s questioning glance. At that, Rick nodded, running to go get T-Dog so they could start their walk back to the car. Daryl lifted Glenn carefully off the bed, the younger letting out a pained whine as he was jostled out of his sleep. Daryl shushed him, rocking Glenn back and forward in an attempt to calm him enough he didn’t fully wake up. Thankfully, Glenn simply sighed, his head resting comfortably against Daryl’s shoulder.

“Ready?” Merle asked him once Glenn was silent once again. Daryl nodded, following behind the older as they walked out of the nursing home.

* * *

 The drive back was torturous.

If Daryl thought Glenn was sick back at the nursing home, it was nothing compared to the sick he was at that moment. The atmosphere was thick with worry and tension, the sound of Glenn’s pain filled cries echoing through the small space. Daryl was at a loss as to what to do. Glenn couldn’t even sit normally. He’d ended up curled up tightly on himself, his face buried in Daryl’s chest.

“There’s something  _ wrong. _ ” Glenn cried, sweat dripping down his paling face. Daryl continued to run his hands through the younger’s hair, another hand rubbing comfortingly over Glenn’s stomach. “ _ There’s something wrong! _ ” Daryl looked desperately up at Rick, the former sheriff shaking at the sounds coming from the bed of the truck. What could they do? Atlanta was in shambles. There was nothing for them to look for in the way of medical help.

Glenn’s sobbing slowly turned into desperate whines, small cries escaping his lips after each one. He sounded like he was dying, and for all they knew, he could be.

“Hey,” T-Dog whispered, careful to keep his voice low enough Daryl, Merle, and Glenn wouldn’t hear. “There’s this army base Shane has been rootin’ and raving about since he got to the quarry. Might have doctors.” Rick’s fingers clenched around the wheel, heart beating frantically. They needed to figure out what their next move was going to be, and they needed to do it now. Rick owed it to Glenn to make sure he and his kid would be alright.

“Let’s hope.” Rick said in response, being careful to leave out the fact he knew a place that would for sure have doctors.

By the time they made it back to the quarry, it was already dark. Dark, and oddly quiet.

Rick and T-Dog dropped out of the truck first, hands clutching at their guns as they slowly made their way toward where their group would normally sit. It wasn’t until Daryl and Merle joined them that they heard it. A gunshot.

The four men scrambled at the sound, Merle and Daryl running back to Glenn while Rick and T-Dog ran toward the sound. All was still shockingly quiet, no screaming, no more gunshots. It’s as if they’d ran in at the end of a long battle, and with a sickening sigh, they came up toward Dale’s RV.

Their group was huddled against the side, kids with their faces buried in their mom’s legs. Women with tears streaming down their faces, while the men all stood in a protective circle, weapons up as they waited with baited breath for a new round of attackers. Walkers laid strewn everywhere, Rick stepping over one to get closer to where his family was stood. It was Carl that caught his eyes first, the little boy sobbing loudly as he ran to his father.

“Dad!” Carl screamed, his short legs carrying him fast toward his father. Rick fell to his knees, wrapping his arms tightly around his son. “Don’t ever leave again.” Carl cried. Not long after another set of arms wrapped around the two boys, Lori’s soft voice entering his ear.

“Thank God.” She breathed. Rick lifted Carl into his arms, walking back toward where everyone was staring at him from their spot leaning against the RV.

“Is everyone alright?” Rick asked, eyes trailing over the group in front of him. There were faces missing. Not ones he grew to know well, but ones he grew to recognize. Dale stared at him, eyes wide and confused. “Dale?”

“Where’s Glenn?” Dale asked, Rick’s eyes falling to the ground at the intense gaze Dale had him trapped in.

“In the truck with Daryl and Merle. He got worse. A lot worse.” Rick sighed, and Dale’s face fell. It must be a relief to know Glenn was still alive, but to know he was more sick than when he’d left must be a new sort of horrible feeling. Bad news just seemed to flow like a river.

“I’m gonna go check on him.” Dale said. The group seemed to break out of their spell, grabbing at Dale’s arms in a desperate attempt to keep him with the rest of the group. “I’m going to go check on him.” He said again, more forceful this time. Carol, Jacqui, and Lori dropped their hands from him, the older man speed walking to the parked truck far from their campsite.

“What happened?” Rick asked, and tears ran down Lori’s face.

“Daryl?” Dale called as he approached the truck. Merle hopped down from the bed of the truck, eyes locking with Dale’s. Merle nodded him back, helping the older man up into the truck while he kept watch outside.

“Hey.” Daryl said simply. Glenn was passed out in his lap, face beet red and covered in a thick layer of sweat. Dale’s face fell at the sight, and he knelt down next to the two younger men.

“How’re you holdin’ up, kid?” Dale asked, his hand grasping Glenn’s. It was obvious though, that the question was directed toward Daryl.

“He’s just gotten so sick.” Daryl shrugged, biting his tongue in an attempt at holding back his  sadness and fear. Dale shook his head at Daryl’s answer.

“I asked how  _ you _  were holding up.” Dale repeated, and Daryl sighed loudly as he crumbled back into the wall. He was having the worst time ignoring his own emotions recently. Dale lifted himself up, settling himself next to Daryl and wrapping his arm around the younger’s shoulders.

“I can’t watch ‘im die.” Daryl choked out, tears running down his face yet again. He felt pathetic. He’d gone so many years without shedding a tear over anything, and yet he’d spent practically that entire day with tears leaking out of his eyes.

“Daryl, did anyone ever tell you it’s okay to be scared?” Dale’s voice was so soft Daryl almost didn’t hear him. The younger looked up at Dale with bloodshot, tired eyes. His heart hurt. His head hurt, everything felt like it was on unstable ground. That one wrong step would send everything he and Glenn had built for themselves tumbling deep inside the Earth.

“No.” Daryl responded after a moment of hesitation. Dale nodded, lips pulled into a straight line.

“Well, it is.” Dale said. Daryl shook his head, burying his face into Glenn’s shoulder. He tugged his husband impossibly close, tears quiet yet forceful as they wracked his entire frame. Dale kept his arm around his shoulders, and for the first time, he didn’t feel like shoving the touch away.

“I’m supposed to be strong for him. I  _ need _  to be strong for him.” Daryl said, choking over his words as he pushed them from his mouth. Dale nodded in understanding, a contemplative hum leaving his lips.

“Yes, Glenn needs you to be strong.” Dale agreed. “That doesn’t mean you don’t deserve someone to be strong for you.” Daryl bit his lip, fighting the sob that wanted to erupt from his chest. He was  _ sick  _ of feeling so lost. Like nothing he could ever do would be good enough. He couldn’t stand the thoughts running through his own head.

God gave him one good thing, and now he was intent on taking it back.

“Daryl, this is hard. This shit is really hard to deal with when you have a hundred people holding you up, let alone by yourself. You can’t deal with this by yourself.” Dale said, gaze shifting until he finally caught Daryl’s eyes. “I know you think that you have to be macho man with no feelings, but you’re going to crash if you keep doing this. You’re going to crash hard.” Daryl pulled Glenn closer again.

“What do you know, old man?” The taunt sounded fake even to Daryl’s own ears. Dale chuckled, a tear slipping down his own cheeks as he stared down at Glenn.

“I’ve done this before.” Dale shrugged, his eyes sad as he stared into Daryl’s own. The younger looked down, shame overcoming him despite the clear transparency in his own voice when tossing out his angry taunt. Glenn had told him that Dale lost a child. Lost his  _ wife _  and his child.

“I can’t live without him. I need to get him help.” Daryl said, patting Glenn’s forehead dry with his shirt. Suddenly, Daryl dropped the shirt back against Glenn’s slick chest.

“Wait, what happened?” Daryl asked. Dale flicked his gaze up to Daryl’s confused one.

“They found us.” Dale said. Daryl’s face returned to its stoic hold, a curt nod following. Shit just kept getting worse and worse. Daryl wondered if there was such a thing as rock bottom anymore, or if it just kept going on and on for eternity. “We lost a lot of good people.” Dale added. Daryl placed a soft kiss atop Glenn’s forehead, suddenly grateful that Rick had dragged them all back into the city. He might not have Glenn in his arms at all had they stayed.

“I was so mad at him.” Daryl said, voice thick with tears. Dale rubbed his hand up and down Daryl’s back, trying to comfort him in the best way he knew. 

“I know. We all were.” Dale lifted himself up then, walking over to Merle and motioning him inside. “This’ll be safer than going back out to the tents. We could all use some sleep.” Merle pulled the truck’s doors shut, locking them behind him. Dale settled himself in the far right corner of the truck, Merle laid up against the back doors. Daryl laid himself down where he had already been sitting, tucking Glenn’s still sleeping form atop his chest.

“I love you.” Daryl said, touching his lips lightly to Glenn’s. The younger barely stirred.

By the time Glenn woke again, it was already well into the morning.

Merle and Dale had left the truck several hours before to assist with burying the bodies left scattered around the quarry. Glenn had stayed asleep, even through the screaming, crying, and gunshots that sounded through the small area. Daryl had his arms wrapped around Glenn’s head, shielding his ears from the intrusive sounds of death and despair.

Glenn blinked his eyes open tiredly, a whine escaping his lips at the stabbing pain shooting up from his abdomen. Daryl shushed him, a gentle hand carding through Glenn’s black hair.

“Where are we?” Glenn asked, coughing over the rough, dry feeling talking left behind in his throat.

“In the truck. You were really bad last night, baby. Didn’t want to move you too much.” Daryl said, biting his lip as images of Glenn screaming in pain bombarded his thoughts. Glenn squeezed his hand, willing him back out of his head.

“What’s wrong?” Glenn asked. Daryl chuckled, shaking his head at the question.

“You’re the one in pain, and you’re askin’ me what’s wrong?” Daryl scoffed, amazed at his husband’s ability to be empathetic no matter what the scenario. Glenn was sicker than he’d seen him in all the years they’d been together, and Glenn was worried about  _ him. _

“Don’t like when you’re sad.” Glenn said, his voice weak and tired. His eyes were only half open as he spoke, yet his gaze never left Daryl’s own. Daryl leaned down, pressing his lips gently against Glenn’s dry ones. The older could feel the fever radiating off Glenn’s body, his lips feeling like a furnace against his own.

“Go back to sleep, sweetheart.” Daryl whispered, swallowing down the lump in his throat. Glenn blinked his eyes tiredly.

“Love you.” Glenn said, and Daryl placed another kiss to Glenn’s lips.

“I love you, too.” Daryl felt like he was going to throw up as Glenn fell back into a fitful sleep again. This was getting worse and worse. First nausea became normal, then throwing up daily, then fainting, and now the fact he couldn’t keep his eyes open for more than five minutes. Even with the blood pressure medication Glenn wasn’t improving, which means there was something more going on than just that. They needed to find him a doctor before he didn’t wake up again.

* * *

 Glenn felt the world spin as he came to. He could tell whatever he was laying on was moving, and his stomach did not find that a pleasing thing. Glenn pried his eyes open slowly, his surroundings becoming more and more familiar as he took them in. He was in the back of Dale’s RV, Daryl fast asleep with his head on his stomach. Glenn lifted a shaky hand up, running his fingers through Daryl’s unwashed hair.

A groan caught him off guard, his eyes shifting from Daryl’s sleeping face to where Jim was laid atop the only other surface suitable to lay on. (Far more uncomfortable without the  _ good  _ mattress, as Dale pointed out.) His face was shiny with sweat, eyes unfocused and head lolling as he attempted to stare out the window. Glenn shoved his own dizziness to the back of his mind, lifting himself up onto his elbows as he attempted to get a better look at Jim.

“It’s going to tear you apart.” Jim suddenly spoke. Glenn’s eyes scrunched in on themselves, looking around to make sure he really was the only one Jim could be speaking to. “It’s gonna die, and rip you apart.”

“Excuse me?” Glenn asked, pleased by how much better his voice sounded. He didn’t remember much of how he got into the RV, but he did remember how much his voice cracked back at the nursing home.

“You heard me.” Jim shrugged, head lolling forward to rest on his chest. He let himself rest for a moment, before pulling his head forward to look at Glenn. “I saw it. Your baby. It’s going to kill you.” Glenn’s breathing started to speed up then. His hand went to grab Daryl’s, shaking him in a desperate attempt to wake him up. Daryl stirred, a groan escaping his lips.

“Glenn?” Daryl asked, shooting up at the sound of his husband’s wheezy, fast breathing. “What’s wrong?” Glenn shook his head, pointing toward where Jim had fallen back against the mattress he was laid against. His eyes were closed, breathing even as he slept.

“What did he do?” Daryl asked. Glenn sobbed, wrapping his arms tightly around his abdomen. Daryl rubbed nervously at Glenn’s arms, shushing him as Glenn continued to work himself up.

“Said the baby was going to die. Said it was going to tear me apart.” Glenn sobbed, and Daryl growled. Glenn pulled at Daryl’s dirty, cream colored shirt, the older wrapping his arms tightly around Glenn as he sobbed. Right, tell the sick pregnant man, also crazy with hormone changes, that his baby was going to die and rip him apart. Great idea.

“Glenn, baby, calm down.” Daryl said, pulling Glenn’s hand back to his chest again. In five, hold five, out five. “I’ve got you. Everything’s alright.” Once Glenn finally calmed down again, Daryl shifted their positions. Daryl leaning back against the wall, with Glenn relaxing into his chest from between his legs.

“Daryl, can I ask you something?” Glenn whispered, his fingers flitting over Daryl’s own. Daryl grunted in response, leaning his chin over to rest on Glenn’s shoulder. “You’ve been different lately.”

“How so?” Daryl asked, knowing exactly where Glenn was getting at with the statement.

“I don’t know. I guess you don’t have that  _ don’t fuck with me _  vibe anymore.” Glenn said, and Daryl chuckled. Glenn looked up at him, a smile sat at home on his face. It had been too long since Daryl had seen that smile.

“Too much effort. Been using all that to take care a you.” Daryl responded, truly thinking about how his demeanor had been different since Glenn started getting worse. He’d noticed his angry shouts becoming more and more forced. More fake. Out of character, even. The fact Dale could wrap his arm around his shoulder, the fact he knew Daryl was just pulling words out of his ass, was a testament to how much Daryl has lost that angry part of himself.

Even as far back as when the deer was eaten by the walker, he didn’t feel as angry as he portrayed himself. He was upset, sick over the thought that he’d lost a good meal for Glenn and their baby. He’d channeled the feeling as anger, yet it came out all wrong. It didn’t feel the same, and he knew it didn’t sound the same. His threats were empty, his biting words lost on even himself.

That’s not who he wanted to be. That’s not who he’d been since Glenn shattered all his carefully constructed walls. He couldn’t understand why he spent so many days trying to be someone he could hardly remember.

Could he even blame Merle anymore?

Even Merle had been different. He’d been patient, overly protective. Merle had given him the excuse that it was only for his nephew (or niece), but Daryl knew that wasn’t true. He was doing the same things Daryl was doing. Throwing out empty words in the hopes people still thought he was someone he wasn’t. They want to portray themselves in the way their father had raised them, even knowing they were making themselves bastards in the process.

With Glenn so sick, Daryl didn’t care enough to spend time keeping up some useless facade. He wasn’t an asshole anymore. He was careful with his words, he knew what was right and wrong, and he knew what good touch versus bad touch was. Glenn had spent years working on those things with him. Careful, kind, patient. Glenn broke Daryl down and built him back up. More sturdy and capable than he’d ever been before they’d met.

Daryl couldn’t speak for Merle, but he’d noticed the subtle changes long before Merle himself might have noticed them. When he stopped calling Glenn  _ chink _  instead of his name. When he laughed openly at Glenn’s poor attempt at jokes. When he told Daryl to make sure Glenn got a decent amount of sleep so he wasn’t overly tired.

It frustrated Glenn, Daryl knew. To see Merle pull such 360s daily. One minute, Merle was asking him if he was feeling okay, the next Merle was telling him to suck it up and be a man. Glenn had refused to be around Merle for years because of it, and Daryl didn’t blame him. It  _ was _  annoying. It was confusing, frustrating, and he needed to figure out where Merle stood with them. He should’ve figured it out years ago.

Daryl needed to figure out where he stood with everyone else. Did they all think he was some crazy redneck bastard with no regard for anyone’s feelings? Daryl could hardly remember the last time he uttered a racial slur and meant it. He could hardly remember the last time he yelled at someone and was truly angry.

He was an asshole, he knew that. He knew he put his head up his ass and played a useless role. He played a useless roll for a person playing yet another useless role. The problem stemmed to the fact Merle didn’t know he was pretending.

It took Glenn a long time to get Daryl to where he was at that moment. Lots of coaxing him down from violent fits, lots of therapy sessions, medication, trust building exercises. He had been abused, shaped into a mold he didn’t want to fit in, but was sure it was all he could fit in.

He’d never forget the first time he’d very nearly lashed out on Glenn, and all he did was wrap his smaller hands around Daryl’s clenched fists. Glenn rubbed his thumb over Daryl’s whitened knuckles, urging him to relax. He did. Glenn had intertwined their fingers together then, a fond smile on his face as he kissed the tears streaming down Daryl’s cheeks away.

That was the last time he’d ever considered using violence to channel his anger.

On their first Christmas as a married couple, Glenn convinced him to help bake cookies for their small group of friends. Ones from Glenn’s work, and some from Daryl’s own. Glenn had laid out a group of cookie cutters, and once the batter was made, he laid one of the gingerbread men cutters in the middle of the sheet.

“I want to show you something.” Glenn said, Daryl wrapping his arms tightly around Glenn’s thin waist. Glenn took a decent amount of cookie dough and pressed it into the mold. It was a bit too much, and it was clearly complicated for Glenn to shove all the dough into the tiny pieces making up the hands and feet. By the time he was done, Daryl was thoroughly confused, yet extremely interested.

“See how complicated that was?” Glenn asked, and Daryl nodded. Glenn pulled the cookie cutter off the tray, keeping the off proportioned gingerbread man in his hand as he pulled out another cookie cutter. The second one being a heart.

Glenn placed the heart down, laying the gingerbread man overtop of it. He bended the cookie dough in on itself, head first, arms next, and then the legs, and pushed the rest into the cutter. He used his pointer fingers to flatten the dough, pushing the rest to the corners to fill out the mold. Once he was done, Glenn pulled his hands away, a proud smile on his face as he looked up toward Daryl.

“You always say you feel like someone that was molded to be one way, and there’s no other mold you can fit in. Even though you don’t think you fit in the mold you started in, either.” Glenn had said, and Daryl’s eyes widened.

“I just wanted to show you that no matter what, you can always settle into whatever mold you want.” Glenn shrugged, carefully removing the heart cookie cutter from around the dough. He used his slender fingers to smooth out the edges. Daryl buried his face into Glenn’s shoulder, chaste kisses placed delicately all over the smooth expanse of skin. Back then, Glenn had loved to wear baggy sweaters, which always fell perfectly off one of his shoulders.

“I love you.” Daryl had whispered, heart filled with so much confusion, love, and wonder for his husband.

“I love you, more.” Glenn said back, and Daryl had chuckled.

“Want to bet on that?”

That was the last time Daryl ever told himself he was incapable of change.

Daryl remembered the time the two of them had gone grocery shopping together. It was late into the evening, the temperature low, especially for Atlanta in October, and the two of them were dead set on getting inside the well heated building as soon as possible. It was well into their second year of marriage, well into Daryl’s road to recovering from his childhood.

Their hands were clasped together, their arms swinging as they jogged into the nearly empty International Market. Glenn had been begging to have a Google search result rendition of his mother’s Korean dinners, and Daryl had reluctantly agreed after a lot of pouting on Glenn’s part. Anything to see that ridiculous smile on his husband’s face.

Glenn had dragged him to the back right of the store where all of the meat was laid out, gathering up everything they needed quickly. Most of the ingredients came in packages together, easy kits that required such little effort Daryl might not even pretend to complain when Glenn begs him to cook with him. They’d packed everything they needed into a basket, and within minutes, they were done.

“See, I told you it wouldn’t take long.” Glenn smiled, his nose pink from the cold, voice nasally. Daryl chuckled, placing a quick kiss on the slowly freezing appendage. Glenn blushed deeply, coughing into his oversized hoodie. Glenn was still so shy when it came to public displays of affection, despite the near seven year time frame of them being together. (Officially or not.)

Idly, Daryl could make out the sound of someone speaking behind them. It was a language he didn’t recognize, but with International markets, that wasn’t a strange thing. He could possibly tell the difference between Chinese and Russian if he tried hard enough, but he never felt the need to try.

It was the look on Glenn’s face that had him curious.

He could vaguely make out the fact that the girls in the isle behind them were speaking Korean. He’d heard enough of Glenn’s crazy K-Pop music to pick up a few words. Not adding to the fact he’d flopped at learning Korean when he’d first became friends with Glenn. The point was, a few words stuck, and it was enough to recognize the language.

Glenn’s face was downcast as he searched through the small ice cream case in front of them. Daryl could never drag Glenn out of the store without at least two boxes of Strawberry Mochi ice cream, and he didn’t expect to get away without it this trip either. However, with Glenn’s mouth twisted into a frown instead of his usually giddy smile, the enjoyment he pretended to not have just wasn’t coming to him.

“What’s wrong?” Daryl asked quietly, rubbing his hand up and down Glenn’s back. Glenn shook his head, biting his lip. “Don’ lie to me. You know the rules.” The rule was, Daryl could never lie to Glenn when he felt bad, and in return, Glenn couldn’t never lie to him either. It was a trust exercise Daryl had trouble with for years.

“They’re just being crude. It’s embarrassing.” Glenn said, nodding his head back toward the girls still pretending to go through the different brands of Milk Tea. Daryl looked back, catching one of the girl’s eyes. She giggled behind her hands, whispering to her friend as he turned back toward Glenn.

“What did they say to get to ya so much?” Daryl asked.

“Said they were shocked I could get a white guy. Probably get a lot of really great dick.” Glenn said, pulling his Strawberry Mochi ice cream out of the freezer and plopping it into the basket. With his eyes wide and mouth open slightly, Daryl didn’t notice that Glenn had dropped four boxes into the basket instead of his usual two.

From that moment on, Daryl vowed to be more cautious of his joking when it came to crude subjects.

He also vowed to pay more attention to what Glenn put into their shopping cart.

His biggest change, Daryl thought, was when he found out Glenn was pregnant.

Daryl had never been too good when it came to dealing with change. His life had been a constant array of backhanded slaps and kicks in the form of change. His mom dying, moving houses, his brother coming in and out of his life. He craved constancy, and for once in his life, he had that.

Glenn was a pillar of constancy. He was always the same, yet also excitingly different every day. He liked the same cereals, the same soda, the same fast food restaurants. He came home at the same time, listened to the same bands, watched the same TV shows. Yet sometimes, Glenn liked to throw a little bit of excitement into their lives.

Sometimes he’d stumble home a bit earlier than expected, and they’d use up that hour in any way they considered suitable. Sometimes Glenn dragged him out to go on a walk with him, sometimes they took a drive, sometimes they went through a shopping mall down the street. Those were easy changes, things that broke them out of their daily routine but were fun in the meantime. It was nothing permanent, they’d still come home and everything would go back to how it was.

Glenn would still play BTS songs over the living room speaker, he’d still bring home leftover pizza from work, and he’d still knock Daryl down on the couch at exactly 9pm and cuddle him until their shows were finished.

Glenn would still hold Daryl’s hands as he struggled through another anxiety attack, he’d still wait patiently as Daryl shouted, kicked and screamed over something he couldn’t remember. He’d still let Daryl hold him, tears falling freely from his eyes as he thought about how  _ fucked  _ his life had been before Glenn walked into it.

So when Glenn brought up the idea of having kids, it was fair to say he’d been a little taken aback.

He’d been quiet, staring at Glenn as the question left the younger’s mouth. Glenn had been patient, holding his hands as Daryl attempted to process the question and what it meant. Glenn was always so patient with him, so perfectly in sync with what he needed. One thing was for certain in his mind, he did  _ not  _ deserve Glenn, and he certainly didn’t deserve a family with him.

Almost as if Glenn could read his thoughts, the younger straddled him, wrapping his arms tightly around Daryl’s neck. Glenn pressed soft kisses to Daryl’s cheek, forehead, nose, and finally his lips. The kiss was languid, slow and sweet. They shared more of those kisses than the passionate, hungry ones. It was part of the consistency. Daryl needed to go slow, savor every second, and Glenn took it all step by step for him.

“I love you.” Glenn said, already breathless despite the fact they’d done nothing but kiss. Daryl buried his face into his own hoodie Glenn had taken to wearing, his fingers tracing soothing patterns over Glenn’s thighs.

“I love you, too. So much.” Daryl said, and Glenn smiled brightly. So brightly it was blinding. Even though Daryl was convinced he didn’t deserve Glenn, he still knew that he wanted everything with him. He wanted late night Netflix binges, he wanted to watch Glenn botch dances he attempted to learn off YouTube, he wanted to wrap his arms around Glenn’s slim waist as he cooked dinner.

He knew he wanted a baby. One to raise better than his father had raised him. One to teach how to be confident, how to love themselves, and how to love others just like Glenn had taught him. With that in mind, Daryl ran his hands up and under Glenn’s shirt, pulling the fabric over his head. Glenn’s eyes searched his, looking for permission he never had to ask for. Daryl kissed him first, the only affirmation either of them needed.

______

It was nearly three weeks later that Daryl was pulled from his sleep by the sound of retching. Daryl had shot out of bed, his sweatpants hanging loosely on his hips as he ran to the bathroom. He’d opened the door quickly, dropping to his knees next to his husband. Glenn whined, rubbing at his stomach to try and will away the discomfort.

“You alright?” Daryl asked, grabbing a washcloth from the hanger above him. He dabbed the dry cloth over Glenn’s forehead, drying off his sweat covered face. Glenn groaned in response, leaning back until he was flush against Daryl’s chest. “Think you better stay home from work today.” Daryl said, and Glenn didn’t argue. It was rare that Glenn felt bad enough to stay home from work. Seeing him not say a word had Daryl on edge.

“No, go to work.” Glenn said before Daryl could even get the words out. “We need the money. I’ll be okay. Just going to sleep.” Daryl sighed, pressing a kiss to Glenn’s forehead. Daryl leaned Glenn back up against the wall, flushing the toilet and wetting a new washcloth. He dabbed the cool cloth against Glenn’s face, the younger sighing appreciatively.

“Let me get you some water.” Daryl said, folding the towel over Glenn’s neck in an attempt to cool his slight fever. Daryl returned seconds later, a glass in hand. He helped Glenn sip at the water, the glass only half empty when the younger finally pushed it away.

“Can you help me back to bed?” Glenn whined, pouty lip out as if he really had to beg. Daryl chuckled, lifting the younger up into his arms. “I feel like such a princess.” Glenn chuckled, and Daryl smiled back. He deposited Glenn softly onto the bed, pulling the blanket up and over him.

“If you need me, call me.” Daryl said, pressing a kiss to Glenn’s temple. Glenn hummed, eyes already falling closed.

______

By the time Daryl returned home that night, Glenn was feeling a lot better. The younger had texted him around noon to tell him that his nap had cleared everything right up, and that he was going to go across the street to the small market to grab ingredients for dinner. Daryl had been nervous about Glenn going out, but he truly sounded alright, so he’d forced himself to not worry.

Glenn was sitting on the couch when Daryl opened the door, a Korean drama playing over the TV. Glenn was so enthralled by the show he hardly noticed Daryl walk in, a non-committal, “hey,” the only thing he uttered when Daryl plopped down next to him on the couch.

“Good to see you too, baby.” Daryl said, and Glenn seemed to break from his stupor. The younger hopped in his seat, turning to face him with wide eyes.

“Daryl, you’re home!” Glenn shouted, wrapping his arms tightly around the older’s chest. Daryl rolled his eyes, hugging his husband back with just as much enthusiasm.

“Good to see you back with the living.” Daryl chuckled, Glenn sticking his tongue out in response to his teasing.

“I need to tell you something.” Glenn said, pausing the show. He set the remote back onto the coffee table, fiddled with his hands for a moment, before picking it back up and turning off the TV. Once he was satisfied, Glenn wrapped his hands around Daryl’s own, a slight shake to his limbs making Daryl slightly nervous.

“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” Daryl asked, and Glenn smiled widely. It had taken a long time for Daryl to get used to using pet names, and Glenn lived for each one that tumbled its way out of Daryl’s lips. Deciding he didn’t exactly know how to say it, Glenn reached into his hoodie’s pocket, pulling out something and transferring it into Daryl’s hand. Daryl looked up at him questioningly, Glenn biting his lip as Daryl opened his hand to look at what he’d received.

It was a pregnancy test, a digital screen reading  _ positive _  staring back at him. Daryl’s mouth fell open in shock, his heart beating frantically in his chest. Positive. Glenn was  _ pregnant.  _ Suddenly he realized Glenn was also waiting for a response from him, and with a slight amount of difficulty, Daryl pulled his gaze up from the test in his hand. Glenn’s eyes were glassy, nose turning red as he waiting patiently for Daryl to collect himself.

So like Glenn. Always thinking of Daryl before himself.

Daryl laughed finally, a tear escaping his own eye as he pulled Glenn to him in a bone crushing hug. Glenn’s laugh was wet with tears, the younger clinging to Daryl as if he’d float away if he held on any looser. The two of them sat in each other’s embraces for what could have been hours, only breaking apart to plant soft kisses on each other’s lips.

Daryl’s hand didn’t leave Glenn’s stomach for the rest of the night, and Daryl realized then that change was okay.

“I have been different lately.” Daryl said, catching Glenn off guard. The younger jumped at the sound, eyes wide as he listened intently to what Daryl was saying. He must have been out of it for a long time to get that kind of reaction. “‘M sorry. I should’ve never tried to fit myself back in that gingerbread cookie cutter.” Glenn’s face split into a huge grin at that, a real laugh escaping his chest. Daryl smiled too, his real smile, the one he lived with all those years. The one he dropped like a dirty rag to keep his brother from nagging him.

“I think I like the heart better.” Glenn said, his eyes fond and smile still wide as he looked at Daryl with such love and adoration. Daryl laid his head down on Glenn’s stomach, pressing soft kisses on the taut flesh. He left five solid kisses on Glenn’s belly, before trailing up his chest and leaving a kiss on his lips.

“I’ll try harder. I promise.” Daryl said, resting his head next to Glenn’s on the lone pillow. Glenn looked over to him, slender fingers running up and down Daryl’s arm.

“I understand. I know it’s a defense mechanism. You just need to know you can come to me.” Glenn said, and Daryl nodded. “You did really well with that.” Glenn knew how much praise worked to keep Daryl on track with his rehabilitation therapies. He had a lot to work on still. His anxiety, trust issues, anger management. They all still reared their ugly head every now and then, but with Glenn’s never ending patience, it’s likely it will be a long time before either of them see it again.

At least, for the reasons they saw it the past few weeks.

“I can’t believe you’re the one sick, and you’re comforting me.” Daryl shook his head, pressing a soft kiss to Glenn’s cheek.

“I’ll always take care of you.” Glenn said, and Daryl didn’t know what he did in a past life to deserve someone like Glenn. “I don’t want to change the subject, but it’s driving me crazy. Where are we going?” Glenn asked. Daryl hummed, forgetting that he hadn’t even told Glenn where they were headed or why. He’d been out for quite a few hours, and a lot of that still needed to be filled in. Perhaps he could save the why for when Glenn was feeling a bit better.

“CDC. Rick has death wish. Thinks that there will still be people there.” Daryl shrugged, and Glenn slapped him lightly on the chest. “Sorry, Rick had a great idea to check and see if anyone is still at the CDC.” His tone was still joking, but Glenn simply rolled his eyes, a smile playing on his face.

“If there is, do you think they’ll have any idea of what’s wrong?” Glenn asked, and Daryl sighed.

“That’s the only reason I agreed to this, baby.” Daryl said, and Glenn nodded. Suddenly, Glenn’s eyes started to droop again, his hand rubbing absently over his aching stomach. “Go to sleep, ’m not going anywhere.”

“How long do we have?” Glenn asked, and Daryl looked around, trying to catch a street sign to tell him where they were.

“About 45 minutes. Just sleep, I’ll carry ya in if I have to.” Daryl said, and Glenn chuckled. The younger held out a hand for Daryl to take, and he took it easily. Glenn always fell asleep easier when Daryl held his hand. Even after all these years he was still nervous that Daryl would leave while he was sleeping.

* * *

 Daryl held his hands over Glenn’s ears as Jim was pulled from the RV, his screaming echoing in his ears.

_ “The baby will kill him!” _

Daryl couldn’t believe that Glenn had managed to sleep through the hysteria. Daryl was very careful and deliberate with how he shielded Glenn’s ears from the sounds around them, yet the amount and the volume of it was something Daryl wasn’t even expecting. The rest of the group had been quiet, mindful of Daryl desperately trying to keep Glenn asleep through the whole thing. He’d have a lot of explaining to do when they finally made it to wherever they were going, but he didn’t want to do it while Glenn was having trouble simply staying awake.

How do you explain to your husband that he slept through his friends dying? How do you explain to your husband that he was so sick, he couldn’t bare to tell him that it happened at all?

Daryl didn’t know if Glenn was going to be furious, sad, or just passive to the whole thing. He really didn’t want to know. If worse came to worst and Glenn got explosively angry over such a huge missing chunk Daryl purposefully held back from him, he’d just blame in on Lori. It had been her idea in the first place.

_ “I don’t think you should tell him right now. He’s having trouble keeping his eyes open. His brain won’t be able to process anything correctly.” _  She’d said, back when the group took turns checking up on Glenn while simultaneously burying the bodies of their friends. Daryl had simply nodded his agreement.

He didn’t regret the decision, it was just killing him to know that one of the first things he’d have to do once Glenn was better, was tell him how many people died while he was sick.

Glenn was barely awake by the time they pulled up to the CDC building. His fever had come back with a vengeance, small whines escaping his lips every time the RV would give even a slight jerk. Daryl kept his hand tightly intertwined with Glenn’s as Andrea, Shane, and Dale all stepped out of the RV. Daryl sighed, eyes trained on all the dead bodies littering the outside of the building. He didn’t feel good about taking Glenn outside of the RV, but with the knowledge he had to, he lifted himself up off the mattress.

“Alright, baby, I’m sorry.” Daryl whispered, hooking his arms underneath Glenn’s legs and shoulders. Glenn gagged loudly as Daryl lifted the smaller into his arms. “I’m sorry, I know. I really hope Rick led us to somewhere good.” Daryl said, walking slowly down the RV steps. Dale was waiting for them both, a guiding hand on Daryl’s back as he stepped down to the ground. Daryl gave an experimental smile to the older man. It looked a bit strained, but Dale still smiled brightly back at him.

“Let’s go, son.” Dale said, guiding the two forward. Glenn grumbled something in his arms, Daryl straining to hear what he assumed to be words leaving his husband’s mouth.

“Come again?” Daryl asked, putting his ear closer to Glenn’s mouth.

“I can walk.” Glenn slurred, eyes completely closed and face still buried in Daryl’s chest. Dale and Daryl shared a fond look, Dale rubbing Glenn’s back lightly.

“Of course you can. He just doesn’t want you to get sleepy.” Dale said, shrugging at Daryl’s questioning glace.

“‘M already sleepy.” Glenn responded, and Dale gasped. It sounded as if he was talking to a small child rather than a grown adult, but it was amusing, and Glenn certainly didn’t seem to mind.

“Well then you better go to sleep!” Dale said, and Glenn sighed before shifting his weight in Daryl’s arms. Before long, he was out like a light again.

“What was that?” Daryl asked.

“Not too sure, just thought it was cute.” Dale said, and Daryl smiled down at the ground. For a moment, Daryl allowed himself to breathe. Forget where he was and why he was there. They had hardly taken two steps away from the RV before they’d stopped to listen to Glenn’s half asleep mumbling, and that left them plenty of security that the large vehicle brought.

However, when the rest of the group came running back telling them to grab their stuff and run, Daryl had to pull himself back to reality. After all, that might have been his once chance to find someone that knew how to help Glenn.


End file.
